In the wake of Alice Guo’s escape, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is considering updates to its pre-departure inspection (PDI) protocols to encompass non-common carriers.
Guo, the ousted mayor of Bamban town in Tarlac, has confirmed that she departed for Malaysia aboard a yacht in July.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III raised her case during the Senate subcommittee on finance’s hearing on the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) proposed 2025 budget on Tuesday.
The PCG is affiliated with the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Pimentel asked, “Let’s assume it’s true that they left on a yacht or a small boat—should the PCG have been involved? Should they have intercepted that departure?”
In response, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan noted that according to their current memorandum circular on pre-departure inspections (PDI), "vessels that are not common carriers are not covered by the PDI regulations."
“And that’s why we’re currently revising the circular, Your Honor, so that the Coast Guard can have a role in overseeing these types of vessels,” Gavan explained.
He mentioned that the revised guidelines will now include non-common carriers in the pre-departure inspection process and that the PCG aims to implement these changes by October.
When Senator Pimentel inquired whether there was a legal basis for this adjustment, Gavan affirmed that there was. Pimentel then asked if new legislation was needed, to which Gavan also affirmed no. Pimentel expressed that the PCG could have updated its regulations before the Guo incident.
“Why did it take an incident like Alice Guo’s for us to anticipate and address such scenarios?” Pimentel questioned.
He concluded by thanking Gavan for his candor, noting that there was no legal barrier for the Coast Guard to act. The senator suggested that the issue arose because the regulations failed to anticipate such situations, allowing a loophole that others likely exploited.
Pimentel emphasized the need to address the vulnerabilities in the country’s borders and coasts and hoped that the Coast Guard would share this insight with other agencies.
Guo has been investigated by the Senate committee on women regarding her alleged connections to a Philippine offshore gaming hub in her hometown of Bamban.
The Senate had issued an arrest order for her in July due to her persistent failure to cooperate with the investigation. However, she was not apprehended until September 4, when she was captured in Indonesia. She is currently being held at the Philippine National Police's custodial center.
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