Senators on Wednesday expressed hope that dismissed Mayor Alice Guo will finally answer their questions regarding her alleged involvement in POGO operations in Bamban, Tarlac following her arrest in Indonesia.
Senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian made the statements as they welcomed the development and thanked the Indonesian authorities for conducting the arrest against Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, who has evaded Philippine authorities since May.
“Inaasahan ko ang pagharap ni Guo Hua Ping sa hearing ng Senado sa lalong madaling panahon. We appreciate the commitment of the NBI to turn her over to the Senate after she is processed. At kung sino man ang tumulong sa kanyang pagtakas, ‘di namin kayo tatantanan,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
(I expect Guo Hua Ping to face the Senate hearing as soon as possible. We appreciate the NBI’s commitment to turning her over to the Senate after she is processed. And to whoever helped her escape, we won’t let you off the hook.)
Hontiveros chairs two Senate panels which separately investigate the illegal POGO operations in the country and the supposed escape of Guo and her companions.
Gatchalian, who actively participated in both inquiries, also urged authorities to bring Guo to the Senate considering the outstanding arrest order that was issued by the Senate against the former mayor.
“Pagkatapos ma process siya ng NBI at BI, dapat din dalhin siya sa Senado dahil ang Senado lamang ang may outstanding arrest order laban sa kanya. Dapat din niyang sabihin kung sino sino ang kanyang mga kasama sa mga criminal activities niya sa Bamban at sino sino ang mga tumutulong sa kanya na na sa gobyerno. Gusto namin ng eksaktong mga pangalan para masampahan din ng kaso ang mga iyon,” Gatchalian said.
(After being processed by the NBI and BI, she should be brought to the Senate because only the Senate has an outstanding arrest order against her. She should also disclose the identities of her accomplices in her criminal activities in Bamban and those who are helping her within the government. We want the exact names so that we can file cases against them as well.)
“Dahil nahuli na siya, dapat managot siya sa mga kasong isinampa laban sa kanya kagaya ng human trafficking, money laundering, quo warranto, paglabag sa utos ng Senado at iba pa. Importante na siya mismo ang managot dito sa ating bansa,” he emphasized.
(Since she has been caught, she must be held accountable for the charges filed against her, such as human trafficking, money laundering, quo warranto, contempt of the Senate, and others. It is essential that she herself be held accountable for these offenses in our country.)
READ: TIMELINE: The plots and twists of the ‘Alice Guo’ probe
Senate President Francis Escudero also welcomed the development and thanked the Philippine and Indonesian authorities for “successfully effecting her arrest.”
“She can now be brought to justice and, hopefully, also shed light on illegal POGO operations in the country,” Escudero said.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) earlier today confirmed that Guo was arrested in Indonesia.
According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, they were informed of Guo’s arrest around 1 a.m. on September 4.
She is currently under the custody of Indonesian police, Santiago said.
In a separate interview on Unang Balita on Wednesday, Santiago said they do not have details yet as to the manner of arrest.
READ: TIMELINE: The escape of Alice Guo and her siblings
— RSJ, GMA Integrated News
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