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Opinion

The drama should now end

THAT DOES IT! - Korina Sanchez - The Freeman

In the ongoing drama of Alice Guo, she has been removed as the mayor of Bamban, Tarlac. Ombudsman Samuel Martires has already ordered that Guo be removed as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac because she is "guilty of grave misconduct" and has forfeited all her retirement benefits. She is also perpetually disqualified to reenter government service.

Guo's camp is moving to appeal to the Ombudsman regarding the dismissal, before appealing to the Court of Appeals. I don't understand Guo and her camp. Is her dismissal appealed because she still wants to return as mayor? If she wants to return to being the mayor of Bamban, why doesn't she first face all the evidence gathered by various government agencies that she was not born a Filipino, and has a different name? She has another identity that she has not yet contested and no longer attends Senate hearings. If she believes herself to be innocent of all the charges and accusations hurled at her, why hide?

The BIR has also charged her with tax evasion of half a million pesos. She was charged because of her statement that she sold her property to another corporation but did not pay the proper taxes. Guo's problems are piling on. Probably why she went into hiding. But all of that is meaningless if she cannot be found to face justice.

This is what I don't understand. People who are suspects or prime suspects in crime are not immediately monitored to catch them fleeing the country or going into hiding. Their whereabouts should be monitored immediately when it becomes clear they are involved in crime. This prevents them from going into hiding or leaving the country. Often a Lookout Bulletin or Hold Departure Order will be issued but more often than not it is too late. In this case, where will they find Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping? Maybe the POGOs have helped her go into hiding or even leave the country.

During her first visits to the Senate, Guo was very confident and insisted she was Filipino, a love child of her father and the household help, and that she grew up on a farm and was home-schooled. But as evidence was presented especially fingerprints proving she had another identity, she stopped attending the hearings and only communicated with the government through her lawyer.

Lately, her camp has asked the Department of Justice to dismiss the human trafficking case against her, which the DOJ will review. But one of two things must happen. One, she should return to the Senate hearings and face all the evidence against her or refute them. Second, she should be found and served an arrest warrant against her. Either way, she must face the government. This drama should now end.

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