Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. on Thursday brushed aside reports sent to the media suggesting that former Bamban Mayor Alice Leal Guo was allegedly receiving special treatment while at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW).
The BuCor chief said Guo is currently serving a mandatory five-day quarantine period following her transfer from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to the CIW on the evening of December 6.
For her part, CIW Chief Superintendent Marjorie Ann Sanidad reinforced this message, affirming that Guo, along with all inmates, is subject to the same regulations and restrictions, with no special privileges afforded to her or any other individuals deprived of liberty.
Based on CIW records, only her lawyers or legal counsels have been permitted to visit her, in accordance with established health and security protocols.
Guo was visited by Atty. Nicole D. Jamilla from December 6 to 9 and was joined by Atty. Romar Cambri on December 8, while Atty. Marc Lester Mamuri and Atty. Cheska Mhey Dela Paz visited Guo on December 10.
Sanidad emphasized that personal cellphones are strictly prohibited in all prison facilities, belying reports that Guo may have obtained a personal cellphone days after her detention.
She said the policy is uniformly applied to everyone—including BuCor employees and personnel—as no individual is allowed to bring or use a personal mobile device inside secured areas within the correctional facilities.
The quarantine area within the Reception and Diagnostic Center compound is subject to the same strict controls.
Given these measures, it is not possible for her to obtain or possess such a device, Sanidad added.
The reiteration by Catapang aims to ensure transparency and uphold integrity within the correctional system, affirming that all inmates are treated equally under the law.
The statement was issued following malicious and unfounded reports sent to the media with no clear attribution or source, pertaining to possible special treatment of PDL Guo after she was allegedly visited over the weekend by two men described as “Chinese-looking” on four separate occasions.