(POLITIKO) Dismissed mayor Alice Guo refused to name any members of an alleged mafia who helped her escape authorities in the Philippines by boat to go to Malaysia.
Guo finally attended the Senate investigation on Monday (Sept. 9), after a month of being on the run amid human trafficking and money laundering charges against her.
During the hearing, Guo claimed she and her alleged siblings Wesley and Shiela rode a yacht from a port in Manila to go to a larger boat, where they stayed for three to five days.
They met an “Asian woman” who confiscated their phones during the trip.
They then rode a smaller boat to go to Malaysia, Guo said, echoing a version of the escape story by her alleged sister Shiela.
“Nong nakasakay na kami sa malaking barko, sa totoo lang, kung pwedeng umatras, aatras na po ako doon. Nakakatakot po talaga. Nagkamali po talaga ako doon,” Guo said.
But when senators pressed her to identify who helped her organize the trip, Guo claimed no Filipino government officials aided their escape.
She also denied Senator Risa Hontiveros’ earlier claim that she bribed officials with P200 million for her escape.
She refused to give names, citing threats to her life. She also refused to confirm if a mafia is the one threatening her.
But she was forced to admit that she sought help from a certain foreigner to facilitate her escape.
“Medyo pinagsalitaan ko siya nang hindi maganda. Hindi ko po pwedeng i-disclose sa public,” Guo said.
She was forced to write the person’s name on paper for the senators. Senator Jinggoy Estrada said he is familiar with the person, who is also on the run and is hiding in Taiwan.
“Nasa Taiwan itong taong sinulat mo. Holder ng limang passport,” Estrada said without naming Guo’s alleged cohort and fugitive.
Senators did not buy Guo’s story about death threats, saying she was just using it to avoid telling the truth.
“Kami rin, natatakot sa safety namin. We have to trust the law enforcers at one point. Parang ginagamit mo lang ang death threat para hindi sumagot eh. Pinapaikot-ikot niyio lang kami dito,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said.