The testimony of Alice Guo's secretary on Tuesday (September 17) proved to be a puzzle piece that nearly completed the picture of her questionable notarization, with senators establishing a clearer timeline of the embattled mayor's escape from justice.

Facing the Senate panel investigating Guo's escape and links to illegal POGOs, her secretary Cath Salazar spoke in detail about being instructed by her boss to go to her house and find a brown envelope inside a drawer.

Inside the envelope, according to Salazar, was a piece of paper signed by Guo made to appear as the last page of a counter-affidavit.

Salazar recalled that Guo told her to attach the signed page to the actual counter-affidavit in her human trafficking case, which would become the subject of the dishonest notarization.

At that point, Salazar claimed that she had no idea as to the whereabouts of Guo, who had already fled the country.

READ: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/...

"Tingin mo tama 'yung ginawa mo?" Sen. Joel Villanueva asked Salazar, referring to being complicit in Guo pre-signing a legal document.

She answered: "Your honor, iyon po 'yung instruction ni ma'am... Pasensya na po, sumunod lang po ako sa instruction ni ma'am."

Quizzed about the signed page, Guo admitted that she affixed her signature before her escape the first week of July. Senators pointed out that the notarized counter-affidavit indicated it was signed on August 14.

Asked if she actually read the counter-affidavit, Guo invoked her right against self-incrimination, citing her ongoing criminal charges.

"Ibig sabihin, noong July pa lang, noong umalis ka, hinanda mo na 'yang last page na pimardo mo para ikakabit na lang ni Ms. Cath doon sa counter-affidavit mo na later on na na-compose," committee chairperson Sen. Risa Hontiveros told Guo.

Given the new details from Salazar, senators gave the notary public who certified the counter-affidavit an opportunity to come clean. Atty. Elmer Galicia however, like Guo, opted to keep mum and invoked his right against self-incrimination.

00:00 Joel Villanueva interpellates Cath Salazar
02:05 Salazar claims she was not aware Alice Guo had already fled
05:10 Salazar details Guo's instructions on pre-signed page, attaching it to counter-affidavit
06:50 Guo admits she signed the page before she fled the country
07:40 Guo invokes right against self-incrimination when asked if she read the counter-affidavit
09:25 Risa Hontiveros clarifies the dates of events with Guo
12:30 Lawyer Ray Ann Co claims Guo's legal team was not aware she had already feld
14:20 Villanueva recaps Salazar's involvement in Guo's pre-signed affidavit
16:40 Salazar: "Pasensya na po, sumunod lang po ako sa instruction ni ma'am"
17:20 Guo confirms her signature on the last page of the affidavit
21:25 Co recalls "limited communication" with Guo during the drafting of the affidavit
26:00 Senators give Elmer Galicia an opportunity to come clean after Salazar and Guo's testimonies

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