Senate panel cites in contempt Alice Guo for skipping hearing; orders issuance of arrest warrant
A Senate panel on July 10, Wednesday, cited in contempt suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo for skipping its hearing on the raided POGO hub in her hometown—and ordered the issuance of warrant of arrest against her.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros approved Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada's motion to cite in contempt Guo, as well as others who skipped the hearing despite being subpoenaed. They include Guo's family members, Wen Yi Lin, Nancy Gamo, and incorporators and board members of Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.
The move also set in motion the application of arrest warrants against them.
According to Sen. Win Gatchalian, once Senate President Chiz Escudero signs the motion, Guo and others will be arrested.
"Di magiging kumpleto ang ating mga hearing kung wala ang mga personalidad na ito," Gatchalian said.
Senators didn't find Guo's reason for skipping the hearing acceptable. The mayor wrote a letter asking to be excused due to health and mental health concerns.
Hontiveros, however, noted there's no medical certificate.
Guo in her letter explained that doctors didn't issue a medical certificate for fear of being supposedly ridiculed like her.
"We find her claims in the letter void of credibility," Hontiveros said.
For her part, Sen. Nancy Binay criticized Guo's use of the mental health card in skipping the hearing.
"Nakakahiya naman po sa mga tunay na may mental health condition," Binay said. "Seryosong usapin ang mental health at hindi po ito dapat ginagamit na dahilan para magsinungaling."
Guo has been subject to scrutiny since she was allegedly linked to two POGOs in her bailiwick: Hongsheng Gaming Technology Incorporated, which was raided in February 2023, and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated, which was raided in March this year. The POGOs were accused of trafficking and scams.
She was questioned as to why she was supposedly unaware of such alleged illegal activities. In past Senate hearings, she was asked about her background to confirm her nationality, especially since she currently holds a high post in the local government.
Guo has since maintained that she's Filipino and has denied having ties to POGOs in Bamban and being a Chinese spy. She also said that she was raised on the farm of her father, was homeschooled, and that her maid of a mother left her.
But as weeks passed, authorities discovered discrepancies in several documents involving Guo, as well as holes in her stories. These include documents alleging she's a Chinese national whose real name is Guo Hua Ping.
The National Bureau of Investigation also found that there's a third "Alice Guo" who applied for an NBI Clearance.
