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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Castro on Alice Guo joke: She wouldn't have been arrested if she stayed in the Philippines 

Castro on Alice Guo joke: She wouldn't have been arrested if she stayed in the Philippines 

Published Sep 4, 2024 07:31 am

At A Glance

  • Makabayan solon ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro can't help but chide Philippine law enforcement agencies for the arrest abroad of controversial former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo. 

FB_IMG_1725431234420.jpgACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (Facebook)

Makabayan solon ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro can't help but chide Philippine law enforcement agencies for the arrest abroad of controversial former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.

Castro, in statement Wednesday, Sept. 4, highlighted the irony of ex-mayor Guo's arrest happening overseas,, and noted at the challenges within the local justice system.

"May mga biruan tuloy ngayon na buti at lumabas ng bansa si Guo kaya nahuli. Kasi malamang kung hindi ay di pa sya nahuhuli tulad na lang nina [Pastor Apollo] Quiboloy at [former Bureau of Corrections Director-General Gerald] Bantag," she said.

(There are running jokes now saying that it's a good thing that Guo left the county because that led to her arrest. Had she stayed, she would remain at large like Quiboloy and Bantag.)

On Wednesday morning, it was reported that ex-mayor Guo was arrested by Indonesian authorities.

"Sayang talaga ang confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) sana sa social services na lang nilagay," reckoned the deputy minority leader.

(The confidential and intelligence funds are truly a waste, and these should have been earmarked instead for social services.)

Ex-mayor Guo is a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) personality who fled the country last July 18 amid the Senate's release of an arrest order against her. The House of Representatives quad-committee (quad-comm), which is conducting its own inquiry on the POGO controversy, has also expressed interest in hearing the dismissed town mayor's testimony.

Earlier caught in Indonesia and brought back to the country last Aug. 22 were ex-mayor Guo's sibling and Shiela Guo, and associate Cassandra Ong.

The dismissed mayor reportedly met Ong in Singapore after fleeing the Philippines under the radar of local authorities.

At any rate, Castro said that the ex-mayor's arrest "[was] a significant development in ensuring that justice prevails".

"Alice Guo must now face the charges against her. It is essential for her to confront these allegations to either clear her name or be held accountable," she said.

The Makabayan bloc has consistently called for the abolition of CIFs from the national budget.

Related Tags

POGO FRANCE CASTRO Alice Guo Cassandra Ong
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