Hontiveros gives BI 15 days to explain escape of Alice Guo, cohorts

INQUIRER file photo / ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) was given 15 days to explain how Alice Guo and her cohorts fled the country undetected, otherwise, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said she would call for a revamp of the agency.

Hontiveros laid out the ultimatum at the Senate subcommittee on justice and human rights’ public hearing on Tuesday after she was given zero categorical answer about Guo’s escape from Philippine jurisdiction.

“To Commissioner [Joel Anthony] Viado of the Bureau of Immigration, with all due respect, please consider this an ultimatum,” said the opposition lawmaker in her closing speech.

“If no satisfactory answers on these matters are provided by the BI within 15 days —  as designated chair of this subcommittee of the committee of Justice, I will call for a revamp of the BI in the committee report of this subcommittee. A revamp starting from the Commissioner himself,” she added.

According to Hontiveros, BI’s job is essential, appealing that the agency immediately act on its mandate.

“Akala ko po na pwede na sana tayong mag-adjourn, but because we have officials from the government na “we will submit a report,” “we will check our files” pa rin ang bukambibig ngayong araw, anong petsa na, hindi pa natin ito maisasara,” Hontiveros lamented.

(I really thought we would be able to adjourn this hearing, but because we have officials from the government who kept on saying “we will submit a report,” “we will check our files,” we still can’t close this.)

During the hearing, BI Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan confirmed that months after investigating the matter, the BI is still clueless as to how the dismissed Bamban Mayor and her siblings were able to go past Philippine borders and escape the country’s jurisdiction undetected.

This disclosure left Hontiveros dismayed, leading her to ask if the Philippine government is okay with the fact that there is still no categorical answer as to how Alice and her siblings Shiela and Wesley were able to flee the country.

“Kasi kung titigil lang tayo sa ganitong status, we’re inutile as a country. Apat na buwan na po and we still don’t know how fugitives got past our borders undetected?” said Hontiveros.

(Because we are going to stop at this status, we’re inutile as a country. It has been four months and we still don’t know how fugitives got past our borders undetected?)

Authorities say Alice left the country in July 2024.

Both Alice and Shiela previously said they boarded three boats to flee the Philippines: a small boat, a “fishing ship,” and later on transferred to a small “blue or green” boat direct to Malaysia.