Mugshot of Zhang Mier, also known as Shiela Guo, sister of dismissed Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac. — Photo from the Bureau of Immigrations.
MANILA, Philippines — Shiela Guo is “unreliable” to be a state witness against dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Wednesday.
In a press conference held after the Senate deliberated on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Remulla told reporters that he does not believe Shiela.
“Hindi ako naniniwala kay Shiela. Hindi ako naniniwala sa kanyang mga sinasabi. Puro I don’t know tapos puro malalabo ang sagot. Unang una, hindi ako naniniwala [na] si Alice Guo sasakay [sa] fishing boat nang tatlong araw para makarating sa Sabah,” he said.
(I don’t believe Shiela. I don’t believe what she said. She kept on saying I don’t know and she kept on giving vague answers. First of all, I don’t believe that Alice would ride a fishing boat for three days to reach Sabah.)
The DOJ chief was referring to Shiela’s statement that she, Alice, and Wesley Guo fled the Philippines via a small white boat. She said they rode a total of three boats to go to Malaysia.
“Marahil mahirap paniwalaan. Kung yan ay naggaling [sa] Bongao o Zamboanga o Tawi-Tawi [baka] maaari pa. Pero para ito’y manggaling [sa] Zambales at isang libo’t tatlong daang kilometro mula sa Kota Kinabalu e sobra namang galing nila na sumakay sila, parang sine,” Remulla said.
(It’s difficult to believe. If they came from Bongao or Zamboanga or Tawi-Tawi maybe it’s possible. But if they came from Zambales, which is 1,300 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu, then they are amazing, it’s like a movie.)
He also pointed out that if the Guo siblings rode a fishing boat, where would they sleep for three days?
At this point, Remulla was pressed to answer whether or not Shiela could be a state witness against Alice.
“Hindi reliable eh. Yung reliability ng kanyang mga sinasabi ang problema natin eh. Hindi siya reliable witness so far, kailangan talaga patunayan na kailangang kailangan ang kanyang testimonya upang mangyari ang lahat,” he explained.
(She is unreliable. The reliability of what she said is our problem. She is not a reliable witness so far, we need to prove that we really need her testimony for things to happen.)
Remulla also said it is possible that Shiela was only trying to divert the investigation into Alice’s escape.
Prior Remulla’s pronouncement, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said Shiela is qualified to be a state witness against Alice.
Ty, however, pointed out that a lot needs to be done for such a thing to happen.
“Kami ang magde-determine. Kung hindi [ako] nagkakamali, [dapat] dalhin din dapat sa court ito. Pero huwag muna natin masyado patulan ang possibility na ito. Ano palang ito, forward-thinking. Marami pa talaga ang kailangan mangyari bago maging state witness. Kung mangyayari man yun,” Ty explained.
(We will determine. If I’m not mistaken, this needs to be brought to court. But let’s not dwell on this possibility too much. This is only forward-thinking. A lot needs to be done before she becomes a state witness. If ever it happens.)
Shiela on Tuesday appeared before the Senate inquiry on how Alice fled the Philippines despite an outstanding arrest warrant and lookout bulletin against her.
READ: Shiela Guo faces Senate probe into Alice Guo’s escape
During the hearing, Shiela said she left the Philippines with Alice and Wesley in the first week of July. She also said that Alice is not her biological sister and that she only met the dismissed Bamban mayor when she was already 17 or 18 years old.
READ: Shiela Guo is Chinese national ‘Zhang Mier’, says NBI chief