Senate orders arrest of Bamban Mayor Guo

Metro Manila, Philippines — The Senate has issued an arrest order against suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for snubbing committee hearings on illegal gaming operations in her town.

The Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality released the copy of the order on Saturday, July 13, or three days after Guo and several others were cited in contempt for their absence despite due notices. The arrest order was issued on July 11.

It also directed the sergeant-at-arms to carry out the order within 24 hours.

The order stated that Guo’s absence was “delaying, impeding, and obstructing” the inquiry. It added that the mayor will be “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.”

In Wednesday’s hearing, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who leads the investigation on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), approved the motions for contempt citation and arrest warrant against Guo, pending Senate President Chiz Escudero's signature.

“The issuance of the arrest order is only the first step to making Mayor Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping accountable to our laws,” Hontiveros said in a statement on Saturday.

Guo sought the Supreme Court’s intervention on Wednesday in a petition for certiorari, or a review of the issue, to nullify the Senate subpoena.

Aside from alleged involvement in the raided POGO hub, the Senate probe has highlighted questions on the embattled mayor’s citizenship.

Amid the controversy, Guo had a lengthy post on Facebook on Friday to express gratitude to supporters and the people of Bamban town in Tarlac.

"Ako po ay isang Filipino. At may malaking puso for Bamban at mahal na mahal ko ang Pilipinas," she wrote.

[Translation: I'm a Filipino. I have a big heart for Bamban and I love the Philippines.]

The Court of Appeals on Thursday granted the Anti-Money Laundering Council petition for a freeze order on the 36 bank accounts under Guo’s name, as well as her 12 landholdings, 12 motor vehicles, and one helicopter.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has raised concerns about a possible conspiracy between suspended Guo and several banks.

With reports from NewsWatch Plus Senior Correspondent Eimor Santos