Hontiveros demands Senate detention for Alice Guo

Sen. Risa Hontiveros (L) and Alice Guo (Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo (Guo Hua Ping) should be detained at the Senate, opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros insisted, noting that the upper chamber triggered the manhunt for Guo.

In a statement on Friday, Hontiveros expressed her disappointment with the developments in Guo’s case, particularly asking why Guo seemed to prefer being detained at a regular detention center than the Senate’s detention facility.

“Ginagalang ko ang karapatan ng judiciary na mag labas ng warrant, pero ang Senado  ang may pinaka-unang arrest warrant laban sa kanya. Ang Senado ang nag-trigger ng manhunt. Senate warrant ang bitbit ng ating law enforcement sa Jakarta,” said Hontiveros.

(I respect the judiciary’s right to issue a warrant, but the Senate first issued an arrest order against her. The Senate triggered the manhunt. Our law enforcement in Jakarta brought the Senate warrant to Jakarta.)

“Ngayon kung si Guo Hua Ping ay di mag piyansa, ibig sabihin mas gusto pa niya makulong sa Philippine National Police (PNP) kaysa sa Senate. We need to ask why. Why does she want to be [in] jail more than in the Senate detention facility?” she added.

(Now, if Guo Hua Ping does not post bail, it means she prefers being jailed at the PNP facility rather than the Senate. We need to ask why. Why does she want to be in jail more than in the Senate detention facility?)

Hontiveros cited a Supreme Court ruling that criminal cases against municipal mayors fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.

This prompted the opposition senator to question why the Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 109 issued an arrest warrant against Guo.

To monitor the situation, Hontiveros asked Retired Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan of the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) to follow Guo in Tarlac.

“[P]agkatapos siyang i-process ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) o PNP, kailangan ma-iturnover na siya sa OSAA. That was clear from the very start and that was the commitment of NBI Director Santiago,” said Hontiveros.

(After she is processed by the NBI or PNP, she has to be turned over to the OSAA. That was clear from the very start and that was the commitment of NBI Director (Jaime) Santiago.)

In a separate message to reporters, Senate President Francis Escudero said he was informed by OSAA that there are two scenarios that would likely happen:

• Guo will post bail, then she will be turned over by the PNP to the Senate
• Guo will not post bail, then she will remain under the custody of the PNP

If Guo does not post bail, Escudero said Hontiveros’ committee might need to ask for the court’s permission to bring the dismissed mayor to attend the chamber’s hearing scheduled on Monday.

To recall, the Senate panel on women headed by Hontiveros first issued an arrest order against Guo.

Another panel headed by Hontiveros, the Senate subpanel on justice, is currently investigating Guo’s escape from Philippine jurisdiction despite an existing arrest order and lookout bulletin.