Dismissed Mayor Alice L. Guo of Bamban, Tarlac could be back to the Philippines today, Thursday, Sept. 5, from Indonesia where she was arrested, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
We believe that later today she will be brought back especially na ‘yun po ang mga naririnig nating indications (that’s the indications we have been hearing) from the Indonesian government that they have been cooperative and that they will be cooperative throughout the process,” said DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV.
With this, Clavano refuted news reports that the Indonesian government is seeking a prisoner swap in exchange for turning over Guo, who is facing criminal complaints before the DOJ including qualified trafficking in persons, money laundering, and tax evasion.
“Nakita rin namin ‘yung mga news reports galing Indonesia media regarding that pero wala pa po kaming narereceive na request (We saw the news reports from Indonesia but we have not received such request),” he said.
Clavano explained: “Ang proseso kasi d’yan dadaan po talaga ‘yung official communications, especially from authorities abroad, sa Department of Foreign Affairs (the process is official communications, especially from abroad, should be coursed through the Department of Foreign Affairs).”
“So sa kanila lang kami makikinig kung meron silang request naiforward sa amin pero as of right now wala pa pong request na ganoon (So we will listen to the DFA if there has been any request forwarded for us but right now there is none),” said Clavano.
News reports stated that the Indonesian government is seeking custody of Australian national Gregor Johann Haas, who was arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Cebu on May 15.
The BI had said in a previous statement that Haas has been the subject of “a standing red notice by the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) which stemmed from a criminal case that was filed against him in Indonesia.”