The lawyer who notarized dismissed Mayor Alice L. Guo's counter-affidavit filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) could face admistrative sanction as a notary public if found that he lied in his acknowledgement that the former mayor personally appeared before him last Aug. 14.
Director Jaime B. Santiago of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said that "bilang abogado si Elmer Galicia, it may cause his license as notary public of suspension as a lawyer kung mapatunayan na nagsisinungaling sya ( as a lawyer, Elmer Galicia may be face renovation of his commission as notary public or suspended as a lawyer if found he is not telling the truth)."
Also Santiago, a former trial court judge and a police officer, said that Galicia may also be charged with perjury.
It has been established that Guo left the Philippines last July 18 and is now reportedly in Indonesia. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered an investigation on how Guo left the country despite the immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) issued against her and an arrest warrant issued by the Senate.
“Kung inonotaryo ang isang dokumento kailangan mag-appear personally ‘yung affiant sa abogado (If a document has to be notarized, the affiant should personally appear before the lawyer),” Santiago said.
He also said that the Supreme Court has decommissioned many notaries public for irregularities like non-appearance of the affiants. The rules and ethical standards for lawyers are very strict, he added.
Last Aug. 16, Guo’s lawyers filed before the DOJ a counter-affidavit in response to the qualified trafficking in persons complaint filed against her.
The counter-affidavit showed that it was notarized on Aug. 14 by Galicia.
The lawyer went to the DOJ on Aug. 20 to give his side and insisted that he met Guo last Aug. 14 at his office in San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan.