Senator Nancy Binay yesterday criticized the misuse of alleged “mental health” excuses by resource persons to get out of attending congressional inquiries in aid of legislation.
“There has been a concerning trend of attempting to use mental health as a way of avoiding an appearance before the Senate,” said Binay, calling it a bad precedent.
She was referring to suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo who claimed she was suffering from mental health problems and would no longer attend Senate hearings.
Guo claimed she was suffering mental issues following allegations at the hearings of her alleged connection to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator activities in Tarlac.
Guo’s identity had also been questioned repeatedly during the hearings, where theories were raised that she could be a spy for China as she had found it hard to prove her Filipino citizenship.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, issued a subpoena to compel Guo and her family to attend Wednesday’s resumption of the hearing on raided POGO hubs.
Despite the subpoena, Guo did not appear and instead sent a letter addressed to the committee chairperson.
In her letter, Guo informed Hontiveros of her decision not to attend the hearing, citing death threats against her that “worsened her physical and mental condition.”
‘Ridiculed, debased’
“For a few months now, I have been the subject of malicious accusations. I have been ridiculed, my dignity has been debased and my personal life and even my identity have been questioned and mocked,” Guo said.
“Not to mention that I have been constantly receiving death threats that I cannot simply ignore as I am afraid that these threats may endanger my life,” she added.
Guo said that medical professionals she consulted refused to issue medical certificates, saying she was fit to go through the “humiliation and ridicule that I am going through.”
Binay said Guo’s letter “sends a dangerous message that mental health can be manipulated as a legal shield, potentially leading to the further stigmatization of mental health conditions.”
“Using it as a loophole to evade legal responsibilities not only harms the entire process of the inquiries, but also perpetuates a stigma against those truly struggling with mental health issues,” she said.
Binay proposed to designate a government psychologist and psychiatrist “to validate medical reports or certifications” to be sent to the chamber “perhaps in the forthcoming hearings.”
She cited the need to better understand “genuine mental health issues to prevent the exploitation” of such conditions.
“Unless there is substantial proof of a severe and incapacitating condition, the state-appointed medical professional can make recommendations to the committee whether or not to require the resource person to appear,” she said.
SC intervention
Meanwhile, Hontiveros welcomed Guo’s move to ask the Supreme Court to stop her committee from summoning her to more hearings.
“Our courts are open to all individuals, regardless of nationality. Even though Mayor Guo is not Filipino, she still has the right to go to the Supreme Court,” Hontiveros said.
“We await a copy of their petition. On our part, at the Senate, the law is clear: ignoring a subpoena has consequences. Adhering to a subpoena has never been optional,” she added.
On Wednesday, Guo’s lawyers filed before the SC a petition for certiorari and an “extremely urgent” prayer for a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary writ of injunction against Hontiveros’ committee.
The panel previously cited Guo in contempt for skipping the resumption of its hearing on the raided POGO hubs in Tarlac and Pampanga.
Also ordered cited for contempt were Jian Zhong Guo, a Chinese national and the local chief executive’s father, and Wen Yi Lin, also a Chinese national and Guo’s suspected biological mother.
Wesley Guo, Sheila Guo and Seimen Guo, who are believed to be her siblings, were also cited for contempt.