US cancels alleged drug queen’s visa; deportation looms

FILE: Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete in an ambush interview with reporters on Wednesday (Nov. 21, 2018). (Photo by Benjamin Pulta)

MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday said it is now working to have alleged drug queen Guia Gomez Castro deported back to the country after the United States granted the Philippine government’s request to have her visa cancelled.

“Upon the request of the Department of Justice, the US visa granted to alleged drug queen Guia Castro has been cancelled. The BI (Bureau of Immigration) is now working with US immigration authorities to effect her deportation to the Philippines,” Justice Undersecretary and spokesperson Markk Perete told reporters Wednesday.

The justice department earlier issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Castro, the first stage in requesting assistance from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to capture her.

Reports earlier said that Castro had outstanding warrants for issuing bouncing checks in 2003 and 2011.

BI officials earlier confirmed that Castro flew out of the country and was not prevented from doing so because she had no derogatory record.

Castro was named by National Capital Region Police Office chief, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar as the mastermind in the recycling of seized illegal drugs by “ninja cops”.

Castro, former chairwoman of Barangay 484, Zone 48 in Sampaloc, Manila, was the same drug queen being referred to by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino, whom he said was selling at least PHP13.6 million of shabu weekly in just two streets in Metro Manila.

Castro left the country on September 21 on board a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Bangkok, Thailand.