Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. Photo from Mayor Alice Leal Guo Facebook

MANILA — The lawyer who notarized the counter-affidavit of Alice Guo insisted Tuesday that he saw the dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor personally on the night of Aug. 14 amid claims she had fled the country last month.

• DOJ orders probe on alleged Guo escape, eyes sanctions

A Supreme Court ruling in 2018 said "a notary public should not notarize a document unless the persons who signed the same are the very same persons who executed and personally appeared before him to attest to the contents and truth of what are stated therein."

"Mag-a-alas-7 po yata yon ng gabi ng August 14, Wednesday... Ni-refer siya ng isang kasama na ang pangalan ay 'Allan', nilapit niya sa akin para magpa-notaryo," Elmer Galicia said in an interview with DZRH.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday cited Galicia's claim that he saw Guo personally last week for the notary request following Sen. Risa Hontiveros' revelation that Guo had left the country as early as July 18. 

Galicia's law firm is based in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, where the National Bureau of Investigation had reported sightings of Guo.

Galicia appeared before the Department of Justice on Tuesday afternoon. 

He was accompanied by Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor Sonny Ocampo and Caloocan City Prosecutor Darwin Cañete. 

WHAT HAPPENED ON AUG. 14

According to the Galicia, Guo and her companions were inside their vehicle throughout the entire process and only rolled down their window to talk to him.

• Hontiveros wants DFA to cancel Guo's PH passport 'immediately'

"Bilang nagsilbi ako sa mga mayor ay may paggalang ako sa kanila, hindi ko naman kayang utusan na bumaba ka nga dito... Sabi ko 'mayor', sabi niya sa akin 'Alice na lang po, pasensya na po kayo attorney at wala na po akong malapitan, wala na pong gustong tumulong sakin," Guo reportedly said to Galicia. 

• Guo has left Philippines, says Hontiveros

Galicia said he had a "soft spot" for people in need so he proceeded to notarize Guo's documents, adding that Guo showed her driver's license to prove her identity. 

"May soft spot ako sa ganyan. Pakiramdam ko nangangailangan ng tulong itong tao at bakit ko ide-deny, duty ko 'to bilang abogado na mag-represent," he said.

The lawyer also claimed he did not ask Guo for a fee. "Wala akong siningil," he said. 

Galicia committed to submit an affidavit on his encounter with Guo, Deputy Prosecutor Cañete said.

"We will not be judging kung anong dapat evidence na dapat ipapakita niya. That’s up to him to volunteer any kind of information. So at this point, we'd like to thank him for cooperating with us to accepting our invitation to give light kung anong nangyari," Cañete said. 

"Kung ano yung documentation yung naproduce ngayon, tingnan natin in written form. Kasi you have to understand, kung ano man isagot niya sa inyo ngayon hindi naman under oath eh. So before you can say one party is lying or not, you have to put them under oath," he said.

Gatchalian said Galicia should be invited in the Senate's next hearing to shed light on his transaction with Guo.

Lawyer Stephen David claimed the dismissed mayor “is still in the country,” citing his conversation with her Tuesday morning. – With a report from Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News

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