Guia Gomez Castro placed on immigration watch list

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has placed Guia Gomez Castro, the woman Manila police had accused of conspiring with rogue police officers to sell illegal drugs, on the immigration watch list.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Castro, which would direct the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to monitor her entry into and departure from the Philippines.

Castro is already out of the country, as confirmed by the BI.

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said the department is checking whether or not there are existing hold departure orders (HDO) against Castro, an elected barangay chairwoman.

Unlike an ILBO, an HDO would prevent its subject from leaving the country.

"In any event, the ILBO issued by the SoJ (Secretary of Justice) directs our prosecutors to secure, when warranted, HDOs or PHDOs (precautionary HDO), as the case may be," Perete said in a message to reporters.

The DOJ spokesman earlier said they can request the INTERPOL to monitor Castro after the issuance of an ILBO.

Castro was accused by police of buying illegal drugs that erring policemen allegedly confiscated from legitimate operations and "recycled" to be resold in the market. She has denied the allegations. —KBK, GMA News