Escudero dismisses Alice Guo's apology letter to Senate

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escdero has dismissed suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo's apology letter to the Senate where she also explained her absence in the ongoing probe into the raided POGO hub in her town.

In her letter dated July 20, Guo apologized to Esudero over what she described as a "misunderstanding" in her recent statement, where she asked why the senators are "fixated" on her instead of focusing on critical issues in the country.

"Nais ko pong humingi ng paumanhin kung nagkaroon ng hindi pagkakaunawaan kaugnay ng aking mga naging pahayag," Guo said.

"Wala po akong intensyon na pagsabihan o diktahan ang Senado kung ano ang mga dapat bigyang prayoridad," she added.

Escudero previously responded to this and told Guo that she is not in a position to tell any member of the Senate what should and should not be their priorities.

Guo also asked Escudero to help her constituents in Bamban who need the support of the government amid her temporary suspension from her mayoral post.

Likewise, the embattled mayor hoped that she would be given a chance to defend herself in a proper forum.

"Sa aking karanasan, pagkatapos ng bawat pagdinig sa Senado, nagiging sentro ako ng negatibong posts sa social media, na para bang ako ay isa ng convicted criminal at hindi isang resource person sa tema na mga pahayag at patutsada ng mga Senador na dumidinig ng issue ko at ng POGO," Guo said.

"Hinihiling ko po ang inyong pang-unawa sa mga panahong ito. Handa po akong harapin and ibat-Ibang kaso laban sa akin sa maa tanggapan na gobyerno tulad ng Ombudsman, DOJ, BIR, husgado at patunayan ang aking kawalang kasalanan," she added.

Guo's letter was first disclosed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, one of the senators who investigated the mayor's supposed involvement in the operations of the raided POGO hub in Bamban.

Escudero's response

Escudero, however, was dismissive of Guo's letter.

"Bagaman nauunawaan ko yung pag-unawang hinihingi niya, hangga’t hindi siya nagpapakita at sumusunod sa Senado ay hindi ko matatanggap anumang pakiusap ang hinihiling niya dun sa kanyang liham," the Senate President said.

Escudero also noted that Guo did not indicate in her letter if she will attend or not the Senate investigation or if she will follow the subpoena and the arrest order of the Senate.

He said he will no longer respond to Guo's letter and he will let his media interview be the answer to the embattled mayor's apology.

"Sana payuhan siya nang tama ng kanyang mga abogado na humarap at tapusin na itong yugto na ito sa parteng ng Senado para maka-focus at concentrate na siya sa mga kasong kinakaharap niya sa DOJ, Sa SolGen at sa Sandiganbayan," he said.

Should Guo surrender to the Senate, Escudero reiterated that she will be protected and that there is a possibility that the arrest order against her will be lifted.

Escudero also said that the Senate investigation into the raided POGO hubs will still continue even though President Ferdiand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has already announced the total ban on the industry during his third State of the Nation Address last Monday.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News