Senate issues arrest orders vs Alice Guo, several others

MANILA, Philippines — After skipping the Senate investigation into the alleged criminal activities of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), the upper chamber officially ordered Saturday the arrest and detention of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and seven other individuals.

The arrest order was signed on July 11 by Senate President Francis Escudero and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality.

Guo was "ordered arrested and detained at the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms until such time that she will appear and testify in the Committee, or otherwise purges herself of that contempt."

"The Sergeant-At-Arms is hereby directed to carry out and implement this Order and make a return hereof within twenty-four (24) hours from its enforcement," the order read.

The arrest order follows the mayor's repeated absences from the hearings conducted by the Senate on June 26 and July 10. 

Other individuals ordered arrested include Dennis Lacson Cunanan, Nancy Jimenez Gamo, as well as Guo’s parents Jian Zhong Guo and Wen Yi Lin, and her siblings Seimen, Sheila and Wesley.

The committee, chaired by Hontiveros, ruled to cite Guo and others in contempt on July 10 upon the separate motions of Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian. 

The embattled mayor was accused of "delaying, impeding, and obstructing" the Senate inquiry into illegal POGOs.

In a letter to the Senate, Guo said she is not "physically and mentally fit" to attend the July 10 hearing, citing that she has been the "subject of malicious accusations" and targeted with death threats.

She also mentioned difficulties in obtaining a medical certificate due to fear among medical professionals "that they may also experience the humiliation and ridicule that I am going through."

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, shortly after being charged with qualified human trafficking by the Department of Justice.

Hontiveros acknowledged the importance of mental health but emphasized the need for Guo to testify due to the serious allegations against her. 

She added that the Senate can arrange for a government doctor to attend to Guo if needed.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian viewed the absence of invited resource speakers at the committee's fourth hearing on illegal POGO hub activities as a "sign of guilt." — with report by Cristina Chi