By Liza Soriano
MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) transferred Shiela Guo, sister of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, to the Senate on Monday, August 26, 2024.
Shiela, along with her companion Cassandra Li Ong, is scheduled to appear at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, August 27, regarding the alleged illegal activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), according to Senate spokesperson Atty. Arnel Jose Bañas.
The Senate medical team examined Guo to ensure her physical and mental well-being.
The Senate security team, led by Sergeant-at-Arms Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan PA (Ret), has assured Guo’s protection and safety within the Senate premises, Bañas added.
A round-the-clock security team is also posted near Shiela’s accommodation.
Meanwhile, Ong is currently in the custody of the House of Representatives.
Earlier, Shiela and Ong had been held in Indonesia before being returned to the Philippines.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) stated on Monday that the former mayor is still in Indonesia, while her brother, Wesley, may have exited the country and fled to Hong Kong.
ia/mnm
By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is actively searching for suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and has assured the public of their ongoing efforts, according to Director Jaime Santiago.
“We are not stopping in monitoring the whereabouts of Mayor Alice. She is sending apologies to the Senate and posting on TikTok; we’re trying to work on it,” Santiago said.
The NBI official also urged Guo to surrender to the authorities.
“She should surrender to the Senate and attend the hearing. Everything will be resolved… Remember, there are no charges against her yet; we only have a Senate warrant due to her non-attendance,” Santiago added.
However, Guo is facing a human trafficking complaint before the Department of Justice in connection with the POGO hub in Bamban.
Her citizenship is also under scrutiny in the Senate due to her inconsistent responses during the hearing.
(ia/mnm)
On Friday, November 10, 2023, a fire broke out at the old National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) building which is located at the corner of United Nations and Taft Avenues in Manila.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection, the fire is believed to have originated on the 2nd floor, where an ongoing demolition is taking place.
The initial alarm was raised at 6:48 PM, followed by the second alarm at 6:59 PM as the flames spread to the upper floor.
By 7:36 PM, the fire was brought under control, and it was completely extinguished by 7:47 PM on Friday (10 November 2023).
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The Bureau of Fire Protection is currently investigating the cause of the fire.
A new and modern 12-storey, P2.5 billion NBI building is rising inside the 50,000 square meter property along Taft Avenue in Ermita. The completion date of the new headquarters is in 2026.
In 2019, the old NBI headquarters was declared unfit by the Manila local government and employees relocated to the V-Tech Tower in Araneta Avenue, Quezon City.
(Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)