Guo runs to SC; Senate arrest order looms

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo yesterday asked the Supreme Court to stop the Senate from summoning her as a resource person in the hearing investigating the illegal offshore gaming hub in her town that was recently raided by authorities.

The lawyers of Guo filed before the SC a petition for certiorari, with prayer for annulment of subpoena and temporary restraining order against using the mayor as a resource person in the Senate.

Guo was cited in contempt yesterday and faces possible arrest after she snubbed for the second time the Senate investigation on her alleged links to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators.

Senate women and children committee chairperson Sen. Risa Hontiveros approved the motion to have Guo cited in contempt for skipping yesterday’s resumption of the investigation on illegal POGO scam hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga.

In a 78-page petition for certiorari, Guo asked the high court to annul the subpoena ad testificandum issued by the Senate panel.

She argued that the Senate committee committed grave abuse of discretion, amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction, when it subjected the suspended mayor to “public persecution and humiliation, disregarding her constitutional rights.”

In an ambush interview after the hearing, Hontiveros expressed confidence that Senate President Francis Escudero would sign the arrest warrant that her committee would request against Guo over her contempt citation.

The senators found as unacceptable Guo’s excuse that she is suffering from mental health problems, the same reason she used for not attending the June 26 hearing.

Hontiveros said Guo’s letter does not contain a medical certificate diagnosing her mental health condition. “We find her claims in the letter devoid of credibility,” she added.

Sen. Nancy Binay said Guo’s alibi mocks the situation of other people who actually have mental health issues, adding that mental health “should not be used as a reason to lie.”

“Her reason for not attending is not acceptable. Mayor Guo or Guo Hua Ping is the one who opened the door for the POGO hub to enter Tarlac,” added Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.

Mayor Guo’s parents – Jian Zhong Guo and Wen Yi Lin as well as siblings Seimen, Sheila and Wesley – were also cited in contempt for ignoring the Senate panel’s summons to attend the hearing.

Gatchalian also moved to summon the officials of both Lucky South 99 and Whirlwind Corp., the company which leased its 10-hectare property to the Porac POGO hub.

Guo not homeschooled

Contrary to her previous testimony, Mayor Guo was not homeschooled, Gatchalian said yesterday.

During yesterday’s hearing, Gatchalian presented various school records of Guo or Guo Hua Ping from Grade 1 to Grade 3 at the Grace Christian High School in Quezon City.

“Apparently neither Guo Hua Ping nor Alice Guo grew up on the farm. She wasn’t homeschooled either. She attended school,” Gatchalian revealed.

“Because her real name is beyond hearing, she studied at the same school as me – at Grace Christian High School from Grades 1, 2 and 3. Year 2000 to 2003. So she was not homeschooled… She really studied. And what I remember of our school, there was no farm there, only buildings,” he said.

The senator presented the alien certificate of registration that matched the document from the Bureau of Immigration. He also showed a copy of Guo Hua Ping’s birth certificate from China.

‘Ignorant’

Porac, Pampanga Mayor Jaime Capil admitted he did not receive a letter from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) regarding illegal activities at a hotel operated by Lucky South 99 Corp.

Capil made the statement after CIDG Pampanga chief Maj. Arvin Hosmillo said he sent a letter to the Office of Business Permit and Licensing Office on July 14, 2021, when a former employee of Royal Hotel reported to police about illegal activity.

Capil maintained that he did not receive any letter from CIDG Pampanga.

“With all honesty and with due respect, no letter has actually reached me,” Capil said on questioning by Gatchalian.

Gatchalian said it appears that Lucky South 99 has “special treatment” despite the red flags from CIDG but Capil denied this. — Mayen Jaymalin, Emmanuel Tupas, Daphne Galvez, Cecille Suerte Felipe