Alice Guo evades Senate detention, but not its hearing

Metro Manila, Philippines — Former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo may have avoided Senate detention by refusing to post bail and staying in police custody, but she has been required to attend the legislative hearing on Monday, Sept. 9, due to a court order.

The Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 109 has ordered the Philippine National Police to bring Alice Guo to the Senate on Monday for the 10 a.m. hearing of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender quality.

This is the same committee that cited Guo in contempt, leading to her initial arrest order in July. On Thursday, the Capas RTC issued an arrest warrant for Guo on graft charges, followed by the PNP taking custody upon her deportation from Indonesia.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who is leading the probe into Guo, insists that she should have been surrendered to the Senate, saying its arrest order “triggered” the manhunt and led to Guo's arrest in Indonesia.

On the other hand, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the court’s arrest warrant "takes precedence over" the Senate’s order, and the PNP could not turn over Guo without a court order.

Despite her wealth, Guo did not post the P180,000 bail set by the court, and the Capas RTC ordered her commitment at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

On Friday afternoon, Hontiveros wrote to Presiding Judge Sarah Bacolod Vedaña-Delos Santos of Capas, requesting Guo's attendance at Monday’s hearing.

“Given the critical importance of the ongoing inquiry in aid of legislation, the Court grants the Senator’s request,” the order signed by Vedaña-Delos Santos read.

“Accordingly, the PNP Custodial Center is ordered to bring the person of the accused at the mentioned date and time of the public hearing,” it also stated.

The Senate is investigating Guo’s alleged involvement in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), which she has repeatedly denied. Her lawyer, Stephen David, has said she is ready to testify at the Senate hearing but cannot name government officials involved in POGOs, as she does not know of them.

From Crame to Capas and back

On her first day back in the Philippines, Guo traveled for over four hours from Camp Crame to Capas, Tarlac, and back, heavily guarded by police escorts.

She wore a white jacket and bulletproof vest, citing threats to her life.

One of her lawyers, Nicole Jamilla said she feels safe in PNP custody. She also said the Guo camp opted to appeal her graft charges instead of posting bail.

“We see no reason for that considering na kahit magbail siya definitely hindi pa rin makukuha yung purpose considering nga na meron pa din siyang other warrant of arrest (even if she posts bail she still can’t secure provisional liberty since she has another warrant of arrest),” Jamilla told reporters outside the Capas RTC.

Why would Alice choose jail?

“Why does she want to be in a jail more than in the Senate detention facility?” Hontiveros asked.

She also questioned the case at the Capas RTC, which stemmed from a complaint filed by the Department of Interior and Local Government in connection with Guo’s alleged POGO links.

“Sandiganbayan ang dapat may hawak sa graft and corruption charges laban sa high-ranking officials gaya ni Mayor Guo. Did the DILG file a deliberately watered-down case to wrest custody of the fugitive?” Hontiveros said.

[Translation: Sandiganbayan should handle graft and corruption charges against high-ranking officials like Mayor Guo. Did the DILG file a deliberately watered-down case to wrest custody of the fugitive?]

Guo is facing a slew of other complaints including human trafficking, money laundering, and disobedience to summons.