Hontiveros: Alice Guo has right to post bail but probe to continue

Sen. Risa Hontiveros (left) and Alice Guo. (Photos from Joseph B. Vidal, OSP/Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate Social Media Unit)

MANILA, Philippines — Dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo has the right to post bail, but both the Senate and the court will continue their respective investigations into her case, according to Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Hontiveros also pointed out that nothing will change even after Guo, whose real name is Guo Hua Ping, posted P540,000 bail.

READ: Alice Guo posts P540,000 bail for graft raps in Valenzuela court

“Karapatan man niyang magpyansa, tuloy pa rin naman ang imbestigasyon. Walang magbabago. She is still facing non-bailable human trafficking charges. Kaya hangga’t sa hindi mapatunayan sa korte ang pagka-inosente niya, mananatili siyang nakakulong,” the senator said in a statement on Sunday.

(She has the right to post bail, but the investigation will carry on. Nothing will change she’s still facing non-bailable human trafficking charges. Until the court proves her innocence she will remain jailed.)

“Magpapatuloy din ang presensya niya sa Congressional hearings dahil kasalukuyang din siyang naka-contempt sa Senado at sa Kamara,” she added.

Last September 5, Tarlac Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 109 issued a warrant of arrest against the former mayor for reportedly violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

This case was transferred from the Tarlac RTC to the Valenzuela RTC.

Guo left the country on July 18 despite an ongoing probe into her probable role in the operations of illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations (Pogo). Indonesian authorities arrested her in Jakarta on September 4.