Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo was cited in contempt by the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on Monday, September 9, 2024, for lying and refusing to answer questions from senators about her identity. Photo from Joseph B. Vidal/ OSP
MANILA, Philippines — Alice Guo, the dismissed Bamban mayor, revealed a new detail about her escape from Philippine jurisdiction, confirming that one of the vessels she used to flee the country was a yacht.
During the Senate panel on women’s hearing on Monday, panel head Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked Guo if she had fled the country on a yacht.
READ: Alice Guo cited for contempt anew at Senate hearing
“Umalis po kami by boat po (We left via a boat),” said Guo.
“By boat? Paanong by boat? Balita ko may sinabihan kang umalis ka sa pamamagitan ng hindi boat lang, isang yate. Tama po ba yun?” asked Hontiveros.
(By boat? It came to my knowledge that you left the country via a yacht and you told someone about it.)
“Yes po, meron po. Meron po kaming sinakyang yate po (Yes, we have. We boarded a yacht),” Guo confirmed.
READ: Senators confront Alice Guo for lying in Pogo probe
Guo claimed she did not know who the owner of the yacht was. She just claimed that the yacht has a “wings” marking.
The dismissed mayor’s pronouncements contradicted portions of Shiela Guo’s earlier revelation at a previous Senate hearing.
To recall, Shiela — who was earlier tagged as Alice’s sister — said they rode three boats to Malaysia: a small boat, a “fishing ship,” and later on transferred to a small “blue or green” boat direct to Malaysia.
Alice said she paid no money when she boarded all these boats. She said that a lady, who is Asian but not a Filipina, assisted them. She added that they were told to stay in a “small room.”
“Bago po kami ipinasok sa maliit na room po, [sinabihan kami na] between four to five days [ay] makakarating po.”
(Before we were placed in a small room, we were told that we will arrive in four to five days.)
Asked where their destination was, she answered: “Meron po siyang namention po eh, hindi ko na po matandaan pero not our country na po.”
(A destination was mentioned, but I can no longer recall it. I’m sure it’s no longer our country.)