Senators call for multi-agency effort to arrest Alice Guo

Alice Guo —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines – Two senators on Monday floated the need for all Philippine government agencies with police powers to team up in order to arrest suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, in a radio interview, said he is convinced that Guo and her family have gone into hiding. This follows the Senate’s issuance of an arrest order against them on Saturday for snubbing the committee on women’s hearing on July 10.

While the tracking of Guo remains in place, Gatchalian said there is a need for the Senate’s security team to collaborate with other enforcement agencies.

READ: Mayor Alice Guo considering turning herself in to Senate, says lawyer

“The operations to find her are ongoing. That’s why my recommendation to our security office is to expand [their efforts] and tap other enforcement agencies like the Bureau of Immigration as well as the National Bureau of Investigation. The Senate has collaborated and partnered with other enforcement agencies like the Philippine National Police,” said Gatchalian over Radyo 630.

In a message to reporters, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada expressed the same view as Gatchalian.

“Lahat ng government agencies na meron police powers dapat magtulungan para hanapin si Guo,” he said.

(All government agencies with police powers need to team up in order to find Guo.)

Both senators urged Guo to voluntarily surrender  before the Senate. Gatchalian said appearing before the chamber would be an opportunity for the embattled local official to explain her side of the story.

According to Gatchalian, existing records show that Guo is still in the Philippines.

“Sa impormasyon namin nandito pa siya, hindi na siya makaalis gamit ang ating mga paliparan, yung ating mga airport dahil meron nang hold departure order. Pagkatapos kasing mag rule ng contempt ang Senado, ay kaagad na pinalitan ang kanyang status ng hold departure order at hindi siya makakaalis ng bansa natin gamit ang airports natin dahil hihintuin siya ng immigration officer,” said Gatchalian.

READ: I am not a spy – Bamban Mayor Alice Guo

“Based on our information, she is still here. She wouldn’t be able to leave using the country’s airports because there is a hold departure order. After the Senate ruled the contempt, the status of the hold departure was immediately set in place. That’s why she wouldn’t be able to leave the country using our airports because she will be stopped by an immigration officer,” said Gatchalian.

Guo has been the subject of scrutiny after the Senate panel on women exposed her alleged ties to Zun Yuan Technology, an illegal Pogo hub in Bamban, Tarlac.

The local official, however, denied this allegation, including claims that she is a Chinese spy.