Lawmakers pursuing 'missing link' in Alice Guo's escape

MANILA, Philippines — “A missing link” to solve Alice Guo’s escape from Philippine jurisdiction.

This was how Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian described the ongoing mystery on how the dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor had a “Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1" stamp on her passport.

“Based on our analysis, the most questionable part was how she had a stamp without us knowing if she boarded a plane or a boat. We don't know, but I think that is the missing link,” Gatchalian said in Filipino in a press conference on Wednesday.

“Once we discover if this is official or unofficial, I think we'll finally be able to connect it all together,” he added.

Authorities said the Guo siblings fled the country in July 2024.

Contrary to the stamp found on Alice’s passport, both Alice and Shiela previously said they boarded three boats to flee the Philippines: a small boat, a “fishing ship,” and later on transferred to a small “blue or green” boat direct to Malaysia.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros earlier said her office was able to verify the legitimacy of the stamp, noting that they coordinated with Malaysian authorities to confirm the matter.

“We have proof verified by my office to Malaysian sources that the stamp at KL International Airport Terminal 1 is genuine. That’s what we know for sure. So I don’t understand why this escape is so mysterious,” Hontiveros said in Filipino during the Senate subcommittee on justice and human rights’ hearing last Tuesday.

During the hearing, BI Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan said he agrees, but he still noted the possibility that the stamp was legitimate — but erroneously done.

To date, Philippine authorities still have no concrete report on how Alice fled the country.

(2025/03/05-15:01)