Alice Guo’s lawyer, Stephen David, answers questions from members of the media at the NBI-BSD office on Araneta Avenue in Quezon City on Friday, August 23, 2024. INQUIRER.net photo / ARNEL TACSON
MANILA, Philippines — Atty. Stephen David, legal counsel for Shiela Guo, dismissed allegations that his client used a fake Philippine passport.
Guo, along with Cassandra Li Ong, arrived in Manila from Indonesia on Thursday afternoon after being held at the Batam Special Class I Immigration Office.
READ: Arrest of Alice Guo’s sister, Ong in Indonesia confirms Pogo links – DOJ
In a brief interview at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) office on Friday, David scoffed at the claims against Guo.
“Untruthful daw yung kanyang mga application sa passport niya, tsaka ‘yung paggamit niya ng passport na Pilipino na mga peke daw, ‘yun ang allegation sa kanya,” he said.
(Her passport applications are said to be untruthful, and the use of her Filipino passport is alleged to be fake; that’s the accusation against him.)
“That’s far from the truth. In the first place, wala namang kaso si Shiela eh, she was not even charged with any court. She was just being sought in the Senate.’Di ka naman fugitive ‘pag contempt ka ng Senate,” David continued.
(That’s far from the truth. In the first place, Shiela doesn’t have any cases against her. She was not even charged in court. She was just being sought by the Senate. You’re not a fugitive if you’re held in contempt by the Senate.)
He added that they are awaiting a resolution on the case and are prepared to post bail if necessary.
In a press conference held earlier the day, NBI Director Jaime Santiago confirmed that Guo and Chinese national “Zhang Mier” are the same person.
READ: Shiela Guo is Chinese national ‘Zhang Mier’, says NBI chief
“There was a comparative fingerprint analysis between Shiela L Guo, ito ‘yung nasa amin, at isang Zhang Mier. Comparative fingerprint analysis shows Chinese Zhang Meir and Shiela L Guo are one and the same person,” the NBI chief said.
David also represents expelled Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and mentioned that he last spoke with the former mayor on the morning of August 22. He did not disclose the details of their conversation.