(Updated)
The apprehension of the two companions of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is crucial in determining her location as well as other personalities linked to alleged illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) operations in Tarlac and Pampanga, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos said on Friday, Aug. 23.
Abalos said that authorities can extract important information as to the whereabouts of Guo following the arrest in Indonesia and eventual deportation to the Philippines of Shiela, sister of Guo, and Katherine Cassandra Ong, one of the alleged incorporators of a Pogo hub raided in Porac in June.
“Malaking bagay ‘yun kasi kahit papaano, ‘yung info na makukuha sa kanila. Ang importante ay hindi tayo titigil maghanap dito (It’s important because we can get some information from them. What’s important right now is we won’t stop in our operations),” he said.
Abalos refused to comment whether Guo is still in the Philippines or she already left the country.
However, he said that manhunt operation for Guo continues and law enforcement agencies have been coordinating with their foreign counterparts to find her.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang paghahanap kay Alice kung siya man ay nasa Pilipinas o nasa ibang bansa. Tuloy-tuloy po ang pagcoordinate natin sa ibang bansa (We are continuously locating Alice whether she is still in the Philippines or in another country. We are coordinating with other countries),” Abalos noted.
“Ongoing operation ito and we assure you na ginagawa lahat. Kung anong panghuhuli ang ginawa kay Shiela at Cassandra, ‘yun din ang kinakasa ng kapulisan (This is an ongoing operation and we assure you that we are doing everything. Whatever means used to arrest Shiela and Cassandra will be used by the police to find [Guo]),” he added.
Meanwhile, lawyer Stephen David, who represents Shiela, said that his client cannot be considered a law breaker as she is not facing any criminal complaint.
"Insofar as she is concerned, ang ikinakaso sa kanya ay illegal use of passport daw niya, making untruthful applications sa passport niya, at paggamit ng passport na Pilipino na peke daw (she is being charged for her illegal use of passport, making untruthful applications in her passport, and use of Philippine passport which is allegedly fake)," David said.
"In the first place, wala namang kaso si Shiela (Shiela is not facing any case). She was not even charged before any court, she was just being sought in the Senate. What's that? Kapag umappear siya sa Senate tapos na iyon. Hindi ka naman fugitive kapag nacontempt ka ng Senate (If she appears in the Senate, that's done. You are not a fugitive if you are cited in contempt by the Senate)," he added.
David said that after the inquest proceedings, a resolution will be filed and they will post bail for the temporary liberty of his client before they face the charge before a court.
Sheila and Ong were caught by Indonesian authorities in Riau on Aug. 20.
Guo, who is reportedly with the two prior to the arrest, was not caught by the authorities and is believed to have escaped.
The arrested personalities were brought back to the Philippines on Aug. 22 and turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).