Suspended Mayor Alice Guo May Face Arrest if She Skips Senate Hearing

Suspended Mayor Alice Guo Faces Possible Arrest if She Misses Senate Hearing

Suspended Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac, is still dealing with “trauma” and is not eager to attend the Senate hearing on July 10, her lawyer said.

However, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian warned that Guo could be arrested if she fails to appear at the hearing.

Guo reportedly decided to leave Tarlac.

When asked if Guo is still in the Philippines, her lawyer Stephen David said, “I presume she is. I spoke to her. She didn’t mention anything. I don’t want to assume without evidence.”

David told Teleradyo Serbisyo that it is up to the Senate to issue an arrest warrant if Guo does not comply with the subpoena.

“How can you force her to attend if she is sick? They can use Zoom to check her condition. The Senate has the option of an arrest warrant. I explained the consequences to Mayor Alice. It’s her decision,” David said.

The Senate issued a subpoena to Guo after she missed the previous hearing.

“She finds it traumatic. She always cries and questions why this is happening to her. ‘I didn’t kill anyone. I didn’t steal from the government. I didn’t hurt anyone,'” David quoted Guo as saying.

Guo doesn’t want to stay in Tarlac after drones were spotted in Bamban, David added.

“Since the Senate investigation began, drones have been seen in Bamban. I didn’t witness it personally, but she doesn’t want to stay in the area,” he said.

David wanted to question the legality of the Senate probe before the Supreme Court, but Guo disagreed. He believes the ombudsman and the courts should handle the investigation.

If Guo fails to attend the July 10 Senate committee hearing, she will be cited in contempt and arrested, Gatchalian said.

“The Senate can issue an arrest warrant because she violated the subpoena and has been cited in contempt,” he told dzBB.

Guo missed the June 26 Senate committee inquiry on alleged human trafficking in Clark and Tarlac, led by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

Guo and her siblings—Shiela and Siemen, and Lin Wen Yi—were invited to address their fake documents and birth certificates.

Gatchalian also urged President Marcos to stop Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), arguing that the income from POGOs doesn’t justify the societal damage. He added that Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chairman Alejandro Tengco will be asked to reveal the former Cabinet member who lobbied for POGOs in the next hearing.

Original Story by: Philstar