Philippines' Department of Justice (DOJ) Minister Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla stated on Wednesday (September 4th) that some personnel from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) might have been involved in "assisting" Alice Guo to illegally leave the Philippines, mentioning some officials' so-called "tactics".
In 2020, the Bureau of Immigration was investigated by the Senate for escorting Chinese tourists through security in exchange for money, which was scandal-ridden. At the same time, the BI was also criticized for being overly strict on Filipinos traveling abroad.
Remulla referred to these incidents from 2020 and stated: "They sneak people in and out. Therefore, we know there are indeed people in the immigration bureau who do this, and that's what we are investigating."
Meanwhile, President Marcos reiterated that "those responsible will be held accountable," but refused to disclose who would be responsible for her escape. He told reporters: "You will find out soon. All those suspected of assisting Alice Guo in her illegal escape from the Philippines will pay the price. You ask who will be dismissed? We will not only dismiss them but also sue them, because their actions are illegal and against the interests of the Philippine judicial system."
Immigration officials stated that Alice Guo and her so-called siblings, Shiela and Wesley, did not leave the Philippines through the usual customs procedures, just as Shiela stated at the Senate hearing, they left the Philippines via a series of boat trips, eventually reaching Malaysia.
Remulla criticized the statement from the immigration bureau and directly pointed at the Director of Immigration, Norman Tansingco, accusing him of failing to inform the Department of Justice about the progress in pursuing Alice Guo and other individuals involved in illegal POGO activities. Tansingco had earlier stated that he received information about Guo's escape but waited for confirmation before sharing the report.
Remulla said: "This is why we no longer talk. Because this act of not reporting office progress to the Minister of Justice is wrong."
