Alice Guo mulling surrender to Senate, says lawyer

Suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is already looking into when and how she would turn herself in before the Senate, her lawyer told GMA Integrated News.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo's story on "24 Oras," Atty. Stephen David said Guo might attend the next scheduled hearing on alleged illegal activities in Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) on July 29.

“She is contemplating kung kailan sya at paano sya su-surrender sa jurisdiction ng Senado. Kung magsu-surrender siya ngayon, matagal 'yang made detain, hanggang sa next hearing which I think is July 29. Kung dadalo 'yan siyempre during the hearing na lang,” Atty. Stephen David said.

(She is contemplating when she will surrender in the Senate’s jurisdiction. If she surrenders now, she will be detained for a long time until the next hearing, which I think is July 29. If she will attend, it will be at the next hearing.)

David made the remarks a few days after the Senate ordered Guo arrested after she failed to attend the proceedings despite a subpoena.

The Senate sergeant-at-arms was unable to find Guo and her siblings in their listed properties.

David said Guo did not leave the country.

“Kahapon magkausap kami. Matagal din kami nag-usap, more than one hour. Sabi nya nasa Pilipinas sya. Sa tagal ng naming usapan siyempre naniniwala naman kong na nandito sya sa Pilipinas,” David said.

(We were talking yesterday. We were talking for more than one hour. She said she was in the Philippines. For the long duration of our call, of course, I believe she is in the Philippines.)

Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairwoman of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, said Guo should appear immediately, especially since she has not attended several Senate hearings.

The Senate has arrested Nancy Gamo, Guo’s alleged accountant. 

Hontiveros criticized Guo for posting on her Facebook account that she was a Filipino and that she loved the Philippines. 

Hontiveros also bared information from the Anti-Money Laundering Council which linked the alleged brother of former presidential adviser Michael Yang to the raided POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac.

Yang was an economic adviser to former President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Hontiveros said Guo’s company BAOFU had a direct transaction to the account of Hongjiang Yang, the brother of the former presidential advisor, and to the incorporators of Hong Sheng, the owners of the raided POGO in Bamban.

Hontiveros added that Hongjiang was an incorporator of Full Win Group of Companies, a firm owned by Duterte's former presidential adviser, wherein Gerald Cruz is also an incorporator.

Pharmally became controversial during the Duterte administration due to the issue of overpriced medical supplies.

Michael Yang's camp has yet to release a statement regarding Hontiveros' remarks, but he earlier said he has no connection to the Illegal POGOs. —Celine Serquiña/NB, GMA Integrated News