Malaysia has declined to cooperate with the Philippines’ investigation into the escape of former Bamban, Tarlac, Mayor Alice Guo, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Wednesday, suggesting the refusal could be tied to the two countries’ territorial dispute over Sabah.

Remulla said Malaysian authorities have refused to provide critical information, including flight records and details of the aircraft Guo allegedly used to flee the Philippines.

“Malaysia is supposed to give us the information. They know what flight entered, what aircraft entered, and where she was riding, but they refused to give it to us,” Remulla said.

Asked to clarify, Remulla said, “Yes, yes. It’s all tied up with Sabah.”

He later elaborated that the refusal was linked to a previous legal case involving the descendants of the Sultan of Sulu, who had sought arbitration against Malaysia over a colonial-era land deal.

A French arbitration court in February 2022 ordered Malaysia to pay the descendants, but a Paris court later upheld Malaysia’s challenge against enforcing the award. The Cour de Cassation, France’s Supreme Court for civil and criminal cases, confirmed this in November 2024.

Remulla said the Philippine government had exhausted diplomatic efforts, reaching the Department of Foreign Affairs level, but had “hit a strong wall.”

To recall, Guo — along with her siblings and a business partner — fled the Philippines after being implicated in illegal offshore gaming operations and alleged human trafficking. Remulla previously dismissed claims they escaped by fishing boat to Sabah as implausible.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) still has “no idea” how Guo, also identified as Chinese citizen Guo Hua Ping, escaped, Remulla said.

He appealed to Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate justice and human rights subcommittee, for understanding. Hontiveros had criticized the BI for its handling of the case and given the agency a 15-day ultimatum to provide answers about Guo’s departure.

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency Director Ferlu Silvio testified at a Senate hearing last 4 March that Guo and her supposed siblings may have exited the Philippines through the “backdoor” in the south, traveling to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, before proceeding to Kuala Lumpur and then Batam, Indonesia.