According to Roberto Ancan, the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Philippine Senate, on Friday (September 6), Alice Guo, the former president of the Banban community in Danzhen Province, did not post bail for the corruption charges at the Gabas District Court of Danzhen Province, Branch 109.
A detention order has also been issued, arranging Guo's detention at the Philippine National Police Detention Center in Jishun City.
Ancan stated in a text message sent to reporters: "A detention order has been issued, requesting her detention at the Philippine National Police Detention Center. She did not pay the bail."
This was confirmed by Guo's legal advisor.
Lawyer Tammy said: "She did not post bail. It is not urgent, as she also faces an arrest warrant issued by the Senate. If she posts bail, she will not be released because there is also an arrest warrant from the Senate."
However, he indicated that this does not mean Guo wishes to continue being under the custody of the Philippine National Police rather than the Senate.
Tammy said: "It's not that she prefers to stay in the National Police Detention Center. I think she might prefer to be in the Senate because her sister is there, right? She has no choice, as it is always decided by the authorities."
Yesterday morning, following the arrest warrant issued for Guo on Thursday, she was taken to the Gabas District Court of Danzhen Province.
The dismissed president left Kernan Military Camp at 9:40 AM and arrived at the district court of Danzhen Province after 11 AM.
Ancan stated that given this development, the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality will continue to investigate the former president's alleged involvement in the online gambling business of the Banban community in Danzhen Province next Monday, and will request the court to allow Guo to attend the hearing.
He said: "The committee may request her attendance at the hearing."
Senator Hong Zhiwei Villos, the chairperson of the Senate committee, has written to Sarah Vedana-Delos Santos, the chief judge of Branch 109 of the Gabas District Court of Danzhen Province, requesting the court to allow Guo to attend the Senate's investigative hearing.
Earlier, Hong Zhiwei Villos insisted that Guo should be detained in the Senate, noting that it was because of the arrest warrant issued by the Senate in July that she was arrested.
She pointed out that the Senate's arrest warrant was issued before the arrest warrant from the Danzhen court.
Is a legal battle over the detention rights of the dismissed president of the Banban community in Danzhen Province, Alice Guo, about to erupt?
On Friday, Risa Hontiveros, the minority deputy leader of the Senate, insisted that Guo must be detained in the Senate to force her to attend the hearing of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality on September 9 (Monday).
Guo was extradited back to the Philippines from Indonesia after 1 AM on September 6. Initially, she was to be transferred to the custody of the Senate, but the court in Danzhen Province issued an arrest warrant, placing her under the jurisdiction of the Philippine National Police.
On September 5, Branch 109 of the Gabas District Court issued an arrest warrant for Guo on charges of violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The case was initiated by the Ministry of the Interior because Guo allegedly used her position as president of the Banban community to issue licenses to online gambling companies.
Hong Zhiwei Villos said in a statement: "I respect the right of judicial institutions to issue arrest warrants, but the Senate was the first institution to issue an arrest warrant for her, triggering the manhunt. The arrest warrant executed by law enforcement in Jakarta was precisely that of the Senate."
The Senate's arrest warrant was issued because Guo failed to attend a previous Senate hearing.
Hong Zhiwei Villos later raised questions about the case of Guo in the Gabas Court of Danzhen Province.
Hong Zhiwei Villos asked: "In the case of Minai vs. the Anti-Corruption Court, the Supreme Court has clearly stated that the criminal cases of the president should fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Anti-Corruption Court. Why did the district court in Danzhen issue such an order?"
Hong Zhiwei Villos pointed out: "After the National Bureau of Investigation or the Philippine National Police complete her procedures, she must be transferred to the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Office. This was very clear from the beginning, and it was a promise by the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation, Xian Diego."
The Philippine National Police earlier stated that before Guo's camp applied for bail, her detention rights belonged to the Southern Nanmei Military Camp.
According to the judge's decision, Guo might also be transferred to a detention facility in Danzhen Province.
Hong Zhiwei Villos asked: "If Guo is unwilling to post bail, does this mean she prefers to stay in a police detention facility rather than a Senate detention facility? We need to ask why, why would she rather stay in prison than in a Senate detention facility?"
Sergeant-at-Arms Ancan stated that there are two scenarios for Guo's detention.
First, she will apply for bail at the Gabas District Court and be transferred to the Senate by the Philippine National Police.
Second, Guo will not post bail and will continue to be detained by the Philippine National Police.
Senate President Iskudillo stated that if she chooses the second option, "Senator Hong Zhiwei Villos's committee may need to request the court to allow her to go to the Senate to attend the hearing."
In the early hours of Wednesday, Guo was arrested by Indonesian authorities in Tanggerang City and arrived in the Philippines on Friday morning.
