Arrest Guo, Senate orders

The Senate has ordered the arrest of suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo for “unduly refusing to appear, despite due notices,” in the upper chamber’s probe into reported violations and illegal activities of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGOs) in her town in Tarlac.

The arrest order, dated 11 July, was signed by Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate panel on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality. It was approved by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

The order, a copy of which was released to media on Saturday, directed the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms (OSAA) to deploy four teams to serve the arrest warrants on Guo and seven other individuals.

The teams were deployed by OSAA head, Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan (ret.), to serve the arrest orders on Alice Guo, Sheila Leal Guo, Wesley Leal Guo, Jian Zhong Guo, Seimen Guo, and her believed mother Wen Yi Lin, as well as Dennis Cunanan and Nancy Gamo.

The OSAA was given 24 hours to serve the warrants and detain the eight individuals at its office “until they appear and testify” before the Senate committee investigating POGOs or purge themselves of contempt.

She confirmed the OSAA operatives were on their way to implement the order.

The Senate took into custody Nancy Gamo, the alleged accountant of Guo, a radio report said.

Gamo underwent a medical checkup after she was brought to the Senate in Pasay City, where she will stay pending the resumption of the Senate inquiry into the raided POGO hub in Bamban, according to the report.

In a separate radio interview, Hontiveros said the eight personalities were also ordered by subpoena to appear before her committee on 29 July.

She lamented that continued disregard of the Senate inquiry showed disrespect to the institution, “because the subpoenas were issued and they are obliged to respect Philippine laws. Their testimonies are critical, so they need to attend.”

The Senate averred in the arrest order that Guo’s non-attendance at the hearings was “delaying, impeding, and obstructing” the inquiry into alleged human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and physical abuse and torture within the POGO facilities, which are regulated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).

Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinngoy Estrada and Senator Win Gatchalian made the motion to compel the individuals to attend the hearings. The motion was seconded by Senator Nancy Binay and approved by Hontiveros.

Guo’s camp earlier filed a petition before the Supreme Court to rescind the subpoena ad testificandum issued by the Hontiveros-led Senate committee against her and members of her family.

Hontiveros said more personalities named in previous hearings would also be invited to the next hearing.

“We want these people to attend the hearing,” she added.

Hontiveros also directed the OSAA to serve subpoenas on Jaimielyn S. Cruz, Roderick Paul Pujante, Juan Miguel Alpa, Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, Alberto Rodulfo de La Serna, Ronelyn B. Baterna, Michael Bryce B. Mascarenas, Stephanie B. Mascarenas, Rodrigo A. Bande, Jing Gu, Xiang Tan, Daniel Salcedo Jr., Chona A. Alejandre, Duanren Wu, Marion Ryan O. Chua, Julian M. Linsangan III, Josefina Mascarenas and Edwin C. Ang, who were likewise compelled to appear before the Senate.

“The issuance of the arrest order is only the first step to making Mayor Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping accountable under our laws,” Hontiveros said.

“With all the lies and possible crimes of Mayor Alice and all those involved in POGOs, this is not merely procedural. This arrest order upholds the mandate of the Senate to safeguard the well-being of Filipinos,” she stressed.

Guo’s real identity was scrutinized following her inconsistent testimonies about her background and the supposed dubious documents regarding her Filipino citizenship.