MANILA — The Department of Justice has not received a formal request from Indonesian authorities on the reported potential exchange involving dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo and one of Indonesia’s most-wanted drug suspects, who was arrested in the Philippines.

An official of the Indonesian National Police expressed hopes the Philippine government will hand over Gregor Haas, who is facing charges in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal drugs.

Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said such requests usually go through the diplomatic route.

“Wala kaming contact with anybody about the prisoner swap. Nabalitaan namin ito through Indonesian media, actually,” he told lawmakers during DOJ’s budget briefing before the House Committee on Appropriations on Thursday.

“Ang prisoner swap, ‘yan ay trabaho ng DFA. Kung mayroong request ang Indonesian government, sa DFA padadaanin ‘yan. Unless may authorization kaming mag-bilaterals ng aking counterpart sa Indonesia, saka permission from the legal system, sa akin permission from the President, and probably even Congress kung kailangan. So, wala kaming ganoon, wala kaming permission. Kaya all of these will really have to go through the usual diplomatic route, and extradition will be the route taken here,” Remulla added.

“There's no formal request. But it has been mentioned by the police, I think. But there's nothing in my office that would say that,” the DOJ chief noted in an interview with the media.

“It will go through a lot because you will have to satisfy many of the rules that we follow, and the laws that we observe, especially with regards to the status of prisoners. If they have cases pending, they might have to be dismissed already for the prisoner swap to happen,” he explained.

Based on the information received by Remulla, Guo is expected to take a 6 p.m. flight from Indonesia to the Philippines on Thursday.

Asked about the scenarios upon Guo’s return to the country, the DOJ said there are different processes, but the immigration-to-immigration route is the “fastest, easiest and least expensive”.

“That means that because they were arrested on immigration violations, they were held in custody by Indonesian immigration people. They were excluded or they were prevented from entry. So therefore they will have to be returned back…If that’s the process that will be done with respect to Alice Guo and in all likelihood that appears to be the case, because that is the fastest nga, that’s the best viable option, then that will be done in a matter of hours… The only thing left now is for Indonesian police, which has actual custody, to turnover custody to immigration Indonesia. For Indonesia to now turn over to our team, because we sent another team of BI and NBI to Jakarta last night precisely for that purpose. They are augmenting the efforts of SILG and the PNP head who is now in Indonesia,” Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez explained.

Guo is expected to be turned over to the custody of the Philippine Senate that issued a warrant for her arrest last July shortly after she failed to appear at a hearing investigating illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations in her town.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council has already filed several charges of money laundering against Guo and 35 others before the Department of Justice. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission also filed human trafficking charges against the former mayor.

DOJ RESOLUTION

The Department of Justice resolution on the human trafficking complaint against Guo is expected to be out next week, according to Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty.

“I spoke with the panel of prosecutors to ask how soon they can resolve the case, I asked if they can have a resolution tomorrow. But they asked me for a very short extension. So hopefully next week, we will see a resolution of the qualified trafficking in persons case,” he told the House panel.

Remulla said the charges, once filed in court, is non-bailable.

“We expect it to be decided very soon, ng prosecution. ‘Pag finile sa court ‘yan, no bail yan… may HDO (hold departure order) na ‘yan automatically,” he told the media, allaying concerns that Guo may again escape Philippine authorities.

Asked whether the DOJ will recommend the cancellation of Guo’s passport, Remulla said, [02:58] “Yes, of course. Pinapa-trace na namin. Na-trace na yata ng NBI ‘yung kanyang birth certificate. So, na kina OSG (Office of the Solicitor General) na ‘yan na ipa-cancel ‘yung birth certificate na fake para ma-start ‘yung process ng cancellation of passport.”