Another contempt order vs. Alice Guo
Metro Manila, Philippines – Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo has been cited in contempt by House lawmakers on Thursday, Sept. 19.
For the first time, Guo attended the House quad-committee investigation on illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO), in which she has been allegedly involved.
The contempt order stemmed from Guo’s evasive answers when asked why she has not posted a bail on her graft charges amounting to P180,000. Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano said the amount is meager for Guo, who has various businesses.
Paduano moved to cite Guo in contempt and the joint panel approved.
She will be transferred to the House premises after her arraignment at a Valenzuela court on Friday.
Guo will remain in House premises until the joint committee completes its probe.
She has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Facility in Quezon City since not posting bail.
No gov’t official, police help
During the inquiry, Guo denied that a government official or police helped her escape at the height of the Senate POGO investigation.
Retired Gen. Raul Villanueva, in a Senate probe on Tuesday, had said the intelligence community is validating information that a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief facilitated Guo’s exit.
Villanueva added that the police chief is supposedly on Guo’s monthly payroll, which she said does not exist.
Without giving names, Guo said it was a foreigner who helped her flee.
“Dahil wala naman po talaga akong nakausap para sa pag-alis namin kaya hindi rin po ako pwede mag-fabricate din po,” she said. “Isa taong lang po kausap ko pero wala po akong kausap na any local po.”
[Translation: I cannot fabricate because I really did not talk to anyone. I only talked to one person but he/she is not a local.]
Lawmakers were irked, pressing Guo with questions about how a foreign national could help her without conniving with a local.
Criminal business partners
Guo also said that she only does business with the people she trusts. But Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro showed a document in which Guo has registered a company with Zhang Rujin, Baoying Lin, and Zhiyang Huang, among others.
Lin and Zhang are convicted of money laundering.
The former public official said she doesn't know either of them.
“Ang kakilala ko lang po diyan si Huang Zhiyang. Hindi ko po alam na nakasuhan po siya ng cybercrime,” said Guo.
[Translation: I only know Huang Zhiyang and I didn’t know she was charged with cybercrime.]
Fujian gang?
It was also discovered that most individuals connected to Guo are from Fujian, China, including her mother and business partners.
Guo was quizzed if this is related to a supposed Fujian Gang. She replied that it was the first time she heard of it.
“It’s quite a coincidence that all these personalities na involved sa operation na ito ay galing sa [involved in this operation are from] Fujian,” panel chairperson and Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers said.
“I believe po maraming negosyante dito sa’tin na galing din po doon,” said Guo.
[Translation: I believe many entrepreneurs here are from there.]
Even a certain Duanren Wu, a fugitive, was from Fujian.
Wu is the godfather of Cassandra Li Ong – an official of a raided POGO hub – who welcomed them in Malaysia when Guo and her siblings escaped the Philippines.
Ong cited in contempt anew
The joint panel cited Ong in contempt for the second time for supposedly lying about her educational background.
She will be detained at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City for 30 days.
Ong is currently in House of Representatives detention until Sept. 26 for her first contempt order.
