Filipinos incensed over Alice Guo’s escape
FILIPINOS from all walks of life expressed outrage over the escape of embattled Bamban town Mayor Alice Guo, who was accused of various crimes linked to Chinese syndicates in the country.
Danny Carranza, secretary-general of the pro-farmers' group Katarungan, said Guo’s apparent escape “speaks volumes about the kind of justice system prevailing in the country.”
“Somehow, people expected that Guo would disappear from public view despite her lawyer's assurance that she was still in the country. For the rich and powerful, that's how they can easily manipulate a justice system that has been accurately labeled as biased against the poor,” Carranza told Sunstar Philippines on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
Following Guo’s disappearance, Carranza noted that “it is also clear that the state of governance in recent years has worsened to the extent that elective power has been used blatantly for illegal businesses like human trafficking and illegal gambling, among others, under the guise of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos).”
“Ordinary people are growing increasingly cynical of the situation despite congressional investigations. This continuing erosion of trust in the government is why people no longer believe in elections. The rich can easily escape their crimes, while the poor are swiftly punished. Alice Guo's case proves this point,” Carranza added.
Caritas Philippines also expressed deep concern over the developments surrounding Guo.
“As the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, we believe that no one, regardless of status or position, is above the law. This case is not only a legal matter but also a moral issue that touches on the core of our Catholic social teachings: the dignity of the human person, the promotion of the common good, and the pursuit of justice,” Caritas Philippines said in a statement.
“We urge the proper authorities to continue their investigations with transparency, ensuring that justice is served fairly and without delay. We also call on Mayor Guo to fully cooperate with legal proceedings to clear her name, as accountability is a fundamental requirement of public service,” it added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier ordered the relevant authorities to locate Guo, adding that the national government “will expose the culprits who have betrayed the people's trust and aided in her flight.”
“A full-scale investigation is already underway, and those responsible will be suspended and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” the president said.
The 33-year-old mayor from a small town in Tarlac province was dismissed from service on August 13, as she faced various accusations, including allegedly faking her identity, being a Chinese asset, and involvement in human trafficking and syndicated crimes through her links with Pogos.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who has been keen on determining Guo’s identity, publicly announced on August 19 that Guo left the country for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 18, using a Philippine passport.
“The Liberal Party is incensed by the alarming incompetence displayed by Philippine authorities in allowing Alice Guo to escape, as reported by Senator Risa Hontiveros,” the opposition party said in a statement on August 20.
“This adds to the list of fugitives such as Apollo Quiboloy and Gerald Bantag, who continue to evade justice. The non-extradition of Arnolfo Teves Jr. only further underscores the outrageous neglect and failure of our law enforcement sector,” the Liberal Party added.
Controversial pastor Quiboloy has been listed as a wanted criminal by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation but is currently hiding in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Teves, a dismissed lawmaker, fled to the neighboring country of Timor-Leste due to multiple murder charges. (SunStar Philippines)