Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo (Senator Risa Hontiveros’ Facebook page)

Lawmakers have differing views on whether the House of Representatives should conduct its own investigation into how dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo managed to flee the country, and the consequences of such.  

Zambales 1st district Rep. Jefferson Khonghun says it is crucial to probe this issue given that it's likely some officials of the government are directly responsible for Guo’s escape.

“Siyempre hindi naman talaga makakaalis yan kung walang nilangisan ‘yan na mga opisyales ng ating pamahalaan, lalong lalo na sa Bureau of Immigration (BI),” Khonghun said in a recent press briefing.

(Of course she will not be able to leave the country if she didn’t grease up officials of our government, especially in the Bureau of Immigration.)

“Hindi rin ako naniniwala na walang alam ang Bureau of Immigration dahil siyempre sila ‘yung ahensiya ng gobyerno nagbabantay sa ating mga ports and airports,” he added.

(I also do not believe that the Bureau of Immigration knows nothing because of course they are the government agency that guards our ports and airports.)

Khonghun also asserted the importance of including the lawyers of the dismissed mayor in the investigation so solons may find out their contributions to her getaway, if any.

According to the BI, Guo is now in Indonesia nearly a month after leaving the Philippines.

Lanao del Norte 1st district Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo noted that the government must determine exactly how Guo managed to leave the country's shores.

"Where did she escape? NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport)? A private airport? Nagbangka ba siya? (Did she used a boat?) All of those things. We have to find out exactly how did she escape our country and heads must roll,” said Dimaporo.

The lawmaker stressed that the investigation must not stop until all the criminality involved in the now-banned Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) had been curbed.

Guo came into notoriety following the Senate’s investigation on the raided illegal POGO hub within her municipality of Bamban, Tarlac. She has been linked to the POGO hub.

On Aug. 13, the Office of the Ombudsman found Guo guilty of grave misconduct and ordered her dismissal from the service.

Senate probe is enough

For his part, Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez argued that the House should just let the upper chamber carry out its investigation instead of dipping it's hands into it.

“Let the Senate handle that issue, so we can concentrate on some equally important matters,” he said in a statement.

Fernandez, who chairs the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, said the Senate should particularly investigate the role of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

He pointed out that Guo “most likely” left using cargo planes especially those that arrived back to their area of origin without carrying load.

“Madali magpalusot dyan specially if you will ride two or three persons lang sa mga cargo planes. They need to check if may record ng alis if none sa cargo plane ‘yan sumakay,” Fernandez said.

(It's easy to sneak in there especially if you will only ride two or three persons on the cargo planes. They need to check if there is a record of departure, if none, she boarded a cargo plane.)

Fernandez is one of the leaders of the so-called quad-committee.