The Philippine Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality has requested the Capas District Trial Court in Tarlac to allow Alice Guo to attend the ongoing investigation into her alleged involvement with illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
The committee chair, Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros, made the request in a letter to Sarah Vedaña-Delos Santos, the presiding judge of the 109th branch of the Capas District Trial Court. Prior to this, the court had issued a detention order against Mayor Guo for failing to post bail, requiring her to be detained at the Camp Crame detention center.
In the letter, Hontiveros pointed out that Mayor Guo was accused of contempt of court for repeatedly missing legislative investigations, prompting the Senate to issue an arrest warrant. The letter stated: "Given the effect of the arrest warrant, the committee hopes to request permission for Ms. Alice Guo to attend the public hearing scheduled for Monday, September 9, 2024."
Hontiveros also stated in her declaration that she had written to the Philippine National Police detention center, requesting Mayor Guo's attendance at the hearing scheduled for Monday, September 9.
Hontiveros reiterated that after arriving in the Philippines from Indonesia, Mayor Guo, having been processed by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police, should be transferred to the Senate. She also insisted that corruption charges against high-ranking officials like Mayor Guo should be handled by the Philippine Sandiganbayan (Anti-Graft Court).
She questioned: "Is the Department of the Interior deliberately pursuing a weakened case to vie for control over the fugitive? Why? These developments are very unreasonable. We will trace who is orchestrating this farce and futile pursuit."
Despite these views, Hontiveros expressed that they respect the judiciary and hope that the court will approve the Senate's request.
Mayor Guo was brought to the Capas District Trial Court following an arrest warrant issued on Thursday, September 5. She left Camp Crame at 9:40 AM on Friday and arrived at the Tarlac court around 11 AM. She left the court after noon and returned to the Philippine National Police detention center.
