MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Leila De Lima asserted that Bamban Mayor Alice Guo can be immediately arrested by the Bureau of Immigration for major breaches of her visa conditions. She also emphasized that the mayor could be detained while awaiting trial.

“Since Bamban mayor ‘Alice Guo’ is not the real Alice Leal Guo but a 2003 Chinese child immigrant identified as Guo Hua Ping, and who merely stole the identity of the real Alice Leal Guo, the immediate legal remedy against her is a warrantless arrest by the Bureau of Immigration for serious violations of her visa conditions, and detention at the immigration deportation facilities pending her trial for the multiple criminal offenses she has committed,” she explained.

She added, “If convicted, it is only after service of her sentence should she be deported by the BI to China where she belongs.”

De Lima stated that the Department of Justice should handle this as a simple immigration case, allowing for a legal warrantless arrest of Guo for violation of immigration laws. As a lawyer, De Lima believes this approach is more effective than waiting for the filing of criminal charges against Guo.

“It would also be then unnecessary to still file a quo warranto case against her if the purpose solely is to put her immediately under preventive detention and stop her from performing her spurious position as mayor of Bamban after the lapse of her current preventive suspension period,” she said.

The former senator urged the DOJ and other government agencies to adopt a proactive approach in addressing Chinese criminal syndicates. She emphasized the need to strongly enforce immigration laws to stop their illegal activities.

“Our national security is at stake. Sapat ang ating mga batas sa immigration para habulin ang mga Chinese criminal syndicates. Kailangan lamang itong gamitin at ipatupad nang tapat at masigasig,” she concluded.

📷 Leila De Lima FB, Sen. Risa Hontiveros FB