Photo by Jan Escosio/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo has been cited for contempt again by the Senate committee on women or “testifying falsely and evasively.”
The motion to cite her in contempt was made by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who heads the committee, investigating Guo’s alleged links to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).
“Alice Guo, ladies and gentleman, is continuing to lie to this committee despite glaring evidence that she is a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping whose father, Jian Zhong Guo, is Chinese based on her own declaration in this committee and whose mother, Lin Wen Yi, is also Chinese based on her own declarations in banks documents by the way verified by the AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council),” Hontiveros said.
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“This is a blatant defiance of the legislative’s constitutional power of inquiry. Lumalabas na pinaglalaruan mo ang aming batas at pinapaikot mo ang mga Pilipino. Ibahin mo ang Senado,” she said.
The panel head later moved to cite Guo in contempt of the Senate “for testifying falsely and evasively before this committee.”
“I second the motion,” Villanueva said.
Later in the hearing, Hontiveros reiterated her motion but this this time, it was seconded by two senators — Villanueva and JV Ejercito.
READ: Alice Guo reveals she fled Philippines aboard a yacht
“With the motion duly seconded by Sen. JV and by Sen. Joel, you are hereby cited in contempt, you will remain in the custody of the Senate until the conclusion of this committee’s inquiry or until you finally recognize the authority of this body and grant even a semblance of respect for the laws of this country,” Hontiveros said.
“The committee will coordinate with any court ordering your detention pero rerespetuhin mo ang Senado,” the senator added.
Before this, the former mayor insisted during the hearing that she is Alice Guo and that she is a Filipino.
This was contrary to the National Bureau of Investigation’s examination of her fingerprints which matched those of Chinese national Guo Hua Ping.
Again later in the hearing, Hontiveros clarified that the former mayor would remain under the the Philippine National Philippines (PNP) custody despite Guo’s contempt citation in the Senate.
“Nililinaw ko po para sa kabatiran ng lahat na habang si Ms. Alice ay in contempt sa Senado, mananatili sya sa PNP custody. Kung mag post bail sya, dadalhin na sya dito sa Senate at yun yung bahagi nung ico-coordinate namin sa korte,” she said.
(I would like to clarify for everyone’s information that while Ms. Alice is in contempt of the Senate, she will remain in PNP custody. If she posts bail, she will be brought here to the Senate, and that is the part we will coordinate with the court.)
She maintained her ruling despite Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino’s motion for the Senate to have custody of Guo.
“Palagay ko po ang Senado po ang tama, tayo po ang unang nag-issue ng warrant of arrest…” Tolentino said.
(I believe that the Senate is correct; we were the first to issue the warrant of arrest.)
In fact, he pointed out that the Senate arrest order issued in July was recognized in Indonesia where Guo was arrested on September 4.
After her arrest, a Tarlac court ordered Guo’s arrest for violations of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Tolentino, nevertheless, accepted the committee’s ruling on his motion.