Metro Manila, Philippines – Suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo may soon face another criminal complaint, this time for ignoring congressional summons in the probe on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian first floated the idea in Monday’s hearing, which Guo again skipped.
“I suggest that the committee recommends to the Senate as a body to file a case against her for violating Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code,” Gatchalian said.
The decades-old provision imposes imprisonment of up to six months for anyone who “refuses, without legal excuse, to obey” the summons of Congress and constitutional commissions.
Asked about this on Tuesday, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said it’s an old, “rarely used” law but nothing stops anyone from launching a test case.
Escudero clarified that the Senate cannot file the complaint as an institution.
He said a senator or Senate employee “with personal knowledge” of what happened can do it.
“If that is part of the recommendation, then we will ask legal to look into it kung sino ang pwedeng maghain ng complaint affidavit na empleyado ng komite,” Escudero said.
[Translation: If that is part of the recommendation, then we will ask legal (counsel) to look into who among the committee employees can file the complaint affidavit.]
The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros, summoned Guo.
Guo attended two hearings in May but has snubbed further proceedings citing stress and trauma amid public outrage.
The Senate issued a warrant for Guo’s arrest on July 13 but Senate authorities and even the Philippine National Police have yet to locate her.
“Nakakahiya, kahiya-hiya para sa PNP na hindi magawa ito, lalo na na nandito pa naman daw sila sa bansa ayon sa Bureau of Immigration,” Escudero said, referring to Guo and others who were ordered arrested.
[Translation: “It’s embarrassing, truly embarrassing for the PNP not to be able to do this, especially since they are reportedly still in the country according to the Bureau of Immigration.]
Guo also skipped the Department of Justice’s preliminary investigation on the human trafficking filed against her and her alleged cohorts over the illegal POGO hub in her locality where hundreds of Filipino and foreign nationals were rescued.
The embattled mayor has denied involvement in illegal POGO activities. She’s also facing a quo warranto petition seeking her ouster as mayor. The Office of the Solicitor General said Guo is not a Filipino but a Chinese national who should not hold a Philippine government position.
