MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) cannot yet confirm or deny whether dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo has left the country, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said on Wednesday.
“On Guo, tinanong ako kung ano bang stance ng NBI, hindi pa rin ako makapagconfirm o makapagdeny na nandito na siya or wala. Undergoing ang aming investigation,” he told reporters in a chance interview at the Department of Justice.
(I was asked about the NBI’s stance regarding Guo, but I still can’t confirm or deny whether she is here or not. Our investigation is ongoing.)
READ: NBI constantly coordinates with Interpol concerning Alice Guo
Santiago added that the bureau’s agents are continuously looking into the issue.
“Hindi tumitigil ang aming mga agent na mag-confirm o mag-deny nung balita,” he also said.
(Our agents are not stopping in their efforts to confirm or deny the news.)
NBI on Galicia
According to Santiago, the NBI is taking into consideration Atty. Elmer Galicia’s statement that he personally saw Guo last August 14 in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
“‘Yung tungkol doon kay Atty. Galicia, tine-take pa rin namin ‘yung katotohanan na sinasabi niya na um-appear sa kanya [si Guo],” he said.
(Regarding Atty. Galicia, we are still taking into consideration the truth of his statement that Guo appeared before him.)
Galicia was the lawyer who notarized Guo’s counter-affidavit seeking the dismissal of her qualified human trafficking complaint. It was filed by her lawyers at the DOJ last Friday.
When asked if the NBI had summoned Galicia, the director said he did not know.
“Hindi ko alam, kasi hindi pa ko nakakapasok eh. Pero sabi ko, kausapin at tanungin si Atty. Galicia, ganun lamang po,” Santiago said.
(I don’t know because I haven’t gone in yet. But I said to talk to and ask Atty. Galicia, that’s all.)
READ: Lawyer who claims he saw Alice Guo vows to prove Aug. 14 meeting
Galicia’s notarization of Guo’s counter-affidavit last August 14 is being scrutinized as the Bureau of Immigration revealed in a statement Monday that Guo “illegally traveled to Malaysia as early as July.”
According to Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval, Guo arrived in Malaysia last July 18.
On July 21, she, together with her siblings Sheila and Westley, arrived in Singapore.
They touched down in Indonesia via Batam Island on August 18.