Official of the Bureau of Immigration Apologizes for Selfie with Alice Guo
ALICE GUO SELFIE – A Bureau of Immigration (BI) official apologized on Saturday for a selfie involving BI personnel and Alice Guo, the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, taken in Indonesia.
BI Fugitive Search Unit Chief Rendel Ryan Sy expressed regret during an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, explaining that the photo, which showed Guo with BI and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel, was intended only for internal situational reports and not for public release.
Sy was taken aback when the photo went viral, stating, “Nagulat din po ako nu’ng nag-leak ‘yung picture na ‘yon,.” He noted that the Immigration personnel’s smiles in the photo were likely a sign of relief as it marked the moment Guo was first turned over to them. Sy also mentioned uncertainty about who shared the photo on social media, emphasizing that it was meant for internal use only.
The image surfaced on Wednesday following Guo’s arrest by Indonesian police in Tangerang City and her subsequent handover to Philippine authorities. Guo faces numerous legal issues, including 87 counts of money laundering, a human trafficking complaint related to a raided POGO hub in Bamban, and a graft case. Additional legal actions against her include a quo warranto petition and a petition to cancel her birth certificate.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who is leading a Senate investigation into Guo’s alleged criminal activities, criticized the public treatment of Guo as a celebrity. Senator Joel Villanueva also condemned the “unprofessional” behavior of the government agents involved. In response, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla instructed officials to issue show cause orders to those responsible for the photos and selfies with Guo.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. defended the selfies, stating they were part of “the new culture now.” Furthermore, a photo of Guo making a “peace sign” with Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. and Philippine National Police Chief Rommel Marbil also went viral. Abalos clarified that the photo was for documentation purposes, explaining that he was focused on the camera during the shot.