Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said that he would sign the arrest warrant against Bamban Mayor Alice Guo should Senator Risa Hontiveros request it.
"At kung hindi sila dadalo nasa kamay ni Senator Risa kung siya ay magre-request na mag-issue ng warrant of arrest para sila ay puwersahang padaluhin sa pagdinig ng Senado at pipirmahan ko ang warrant of arrest na yon kapag ni-request ni Senator Risa (If they will not attend, it's within Senator Risa if she will request to issue an arrest warrant to compel them to attend the Senate hearing, and I will sign that arrest warrant if Senator Risa will request it)," said in an press conference on Tuesday, July 9.
Escudero also mentioned that Guo, who claims to have been "traumatized" must present a medical certificate should she skip the next Senate hearing.
"Katulad ng ibang dahilan o rason na may kinalaman sa kalusugan kailangang magprisinta ng medical certificate na magbibigay ng sapat na dahilan para hindi dumalo sa pagdinig. Tinatanggap naman yan ng Senado kung ito ay may basehan (Like any other reason that involves health, she must present a medical certificate that would provide a sufficient explanation for her not to attend the hearing. The Senate accepts this if there is basis)," Escudero said in an interview on Tuesday, July 9.
This was after his lawyer Stephen David said in a radio interview over DZBB on Monday, July 5 that Guo is keen on skipping again the next hearing of the Senate Committee on Women and Children.
"Yung stress level niya masyado nang mataas. Parang natu-trauma na siya kapag naririnig niya 'yung mga ganyang hearing e (Her stress level is too high. She feels traumatized whenever she hears about the hearing)," he said.
He also mentioned in the interview that her doctors were afraid to issue a medical certificate due to fears that they might be asked to testify before the Senate.
Escudero said that if there are no private doctors, which he doubts, the Senate has its own physician that they may go to.
"Pwedeng ipadala ng Senado para tignan at tiyakin ang kalagayan ng kanyang kalusugan at na siya ay healthy nga ba o hindi na mag-attend ng hearings base man sa kanyang mental or physical state (The Senate can send its doctor to ensure her state of health if she is indeed healthy enough to attend the hearings based on her mental or physical state)," he said.
A subpoena has already been issued against her. Senator Risa Hontiveros said that if she doesn’t honor the subpoena, the Senate is well within its rights to issue an arrest order
Escudero said with the subpoena, Guo is obligated to attend the hearing.
"Kapag nag-issue ng subpoena yan ay under compulsion of law na tinatawag ibig sabihin wala sa kapasyahan niya kung siya ay mag-a-attend o hindi. Kapag nag-issue ng subpoena ang husgado man o Senado o ang Kongreso obligado ang testigo na sundin at sundan ito (When a subpoena is issued, it is under the so-called compulsion of law and it's not within her decision to attend or not. If a judge, the Senate, or the Congress issues a subpoena, a witness is obligated to follow this)," he said.
He added that he disagrees with Guo's legal counsel that attending the Senate hearing is within their decision and call.