MANILA, Philippines – The Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality on Monday, September 9, cited in contempt dismissed mayor Alice Guo again for evading questions and testifying falsely.
“I move to cite Guo Hua Ping, also known as Alice Guo, in contempt of the Senate for testifying falsely and evasively before this committee,” said Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the panel. Her motion was seconded by Senator Joel Villanueva.
Guo’s attendance on Monday’s hearing is the first since May 22. She had repeatedly snubbed Senate hearings, prompting the upper chamber to order her arrest. She was deported from Indonesia on Friday, September 6, after she illegally left the Philippines in July.
Despite her fingerprints matching with those of a certain Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, the dismissed mayor maintained that she is Filipino.
“Basta alam ko, alam ko ako po si Alice Guo. At pasensiya na rin po kung hindi kayo naniniwala,” Guo told senators. (I just want you to know that I am Alice Guo. And I apologize if you don’t believe me.)
Guo is under the custody of the Philippine National Police after she declined to post bail for her graft charges. She appeared before the Senate inquiry on Monday after Tarlac Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Sarah Vedaña-Delos Santos granted Hontiveros’ request.
Hontiveros said that her panel will prepare the contempt order and coordinate with the proper courts to have Guo detained in the Senate until the conclusion of their probe.
While the Senate panel cited Guo in contempt, Hontiveros clarified that the dismissed mayor will remain under the PNP custody.
“Nililinaw ko po, para sa kabatiran ng lahat, na habang si Ms Alice ay in contempt sa Senado, mananatili siya sa PNP custody. Kung mag-post bail siya, dadalhin na siya dito sa Senate,” Hontiveros 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.)
Meanwhile, the Senate panel also moved to issue a subpoena against Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Dong Calugay, who has been linked to Guo.
Calugay skipped the Senate probe for the second time. On Thursday, September 5, he sent an excuse letter to the Senate, saying that he had dengue. He presented a medical certificate which he obtained from his town’s infirmary.
– Rappler.com