The Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 109 has granted the request of the Senate for dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo to attend the Senate’s hearing on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) on Monday, September 9.
A copy of the order signed by Judge Sarah B. Vedaña-Delos Santos was shared by the Office of Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Hontiveros said she earlier wrote the Tarlac court requesting the appearance of Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, at the continuation of the hearing.
“Before this Court is a letter from Sen. Risa Hontiveros requesting for the appearance of accused Alice Leal Guo alias ‘Guo Hua Ping’ before the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relaitons and Gender Equality on Monday, September 9, 2024 at 10 in the morning. Given the critical importance of the on-going inquiry in aid of legislation, the Court grants the senator’s request,” Vedaña-Delos Santos stated in the order.
“Wherefore, the accused Alice Guo alias ‘Guo Hua Ping’ is allowed to attend the scheduled public hearing mentioned above provided that strict security protocol be observed,” she further said.
The Tarlac court also ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to bring Guo at the mentioned date and time of the Senate public hearing.
Guo is facing graft and corruption charges before the Tarlac court. The charges were filed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Watered-down charges
In a statement, Hontiveros said she wrote the Tarlac court immediately to make Guo appear at her hearing on Monday, stressing she believes the former mayor should have been turned over to the Senate immediately after the National Bureau of Immigration (NBI) or PNP processed her custody.
“Iyan ang pinag usapan at iyan ang tamang proseso dahil sa Senado galing ang orihinal na arrest warrant laban kay Alice Guo (That was what we agreed upon because that is the right process, since the original arrest warrant against Alice Guo came from the Senate),” she pointed out.
Moreover, she also questioned the DILG's motive behind the filing of the graft charges pointing out that it is the Sandiganbayan that is in-charge of all graft and corruption charges against high-ranking officials like Alice Guo.
“Did the DILG file a deliberately watered-down case to wrest custody of the fugitive? Bakit (why)?” Hontiveros asked.
“Napaka-irregular ng mga nangyari (What is happening is highly irregular). We will get to the bottom of who is orchestrating all this circus and wild goose chase,” she stressed.
“Gayunpaman, iginagalang natin ang husgado at inaasahan ko na pagbibigyan ng korte ang Senado sa aming mandato sa pagtuklas sa katotohanan sa lahat ng kontrobersya tungkol sa POGO, kay Alice Guo at sa mga tumulong sa kanya (Nevertheless, we respect the judiciary and we expect that the court will support the Senate’s mandate in discovering the truth about all the controversies surrounding the POGO, Alice Guo and her accomplices),” she said.