POGO ban has no effect on Alice Guo —laywer

The recent announcement of total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) has no effect on suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo as she is only a lessor on the raided hub in her town, her legal counsel Stephen David said Wednesday.

"Wala naman siyang concern doon sa POGO. Unang una, wala naman siyang koneksyon sa POGO. Sa totoo lang. Andito ako sa Vatican, 'di ako nagsisinungaling. Wala naman siyang connection sa POGO. Lessor lang siya," David said in an interview with reporters.

(She has no concern on POGO. She has no connection with POGO. I'm here in Vatican, I won't lie. She has no connection with POGO, She was only a lessor.)

"In fact, kung ma-ban nga ang POGO malaking bagay 'yun sa kanya dahil makikita naman talaga na wala siyang koneksyon doon. Walang effect sa kanya 'yun eh," he added.

(In fact, if the POGO will be really be banned, it will be a good thing for her because we will see that she has no connection with it. The ban will have no effect on her.)

Guo's lawyer also questioned why the Senate investigation will still proceed despite the ban that was recently announced by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

"Ano pa ba ang purpose nila? National security? Eh di gumawa sila ng batas about national security o kaya 'yung mga problema about birth certificate, registration eh di gumawa na sila ng batas. Di na nila kailangang patunayan kung anong meron kay Alice. Actually, pwede na silang magbalangkas ng batas in aid of legislation," he said.

(What is their purpose? National security? Then they should draft a bill about national security or the problem with birth certificate, registration. They don't need Alice for it. Actually, they can already draft a law in aid of legislation.)

Although he said that Guo is still in the Philippines, David said the embattled mayor will still not appear before the Senate.

David likewise shared that Guo is "sad" that the Senate will still continue the investigation, reiterating that the mayor has been traumatized by her previous attendance to the hearings.

"Syempre malungkot siya, traumatized siya diyan eh. 'Di ba sabi nga niya tuwing pagkatapos ng Senate hearing ang daming cyberbullying sa kanya. So ine-expect niya kung magkakaroon uli ng Senate hearing, baka triple pa ang magiging bullying sa kanya. As a human being syempre nagwo-worry rin siya sa ganyang mga bagay," he said.

(She is sad, traumatized. She already said that after every Senate hearing, she is being cyberbullied. So she expects that if there will be another Senate hearing, the cyberbullying will be thrice as much.)

"Tingin ko hindi siya makaka-attend talaga. Kasi base sa sabi niya... "I’ll just see you in the proper forum" eh. Reading along that line makikita mo na sa court na siya haharap," he added.

(I believe she won't be able to attend because she told me, "I’ll just see you in the proper forum." Reading along that line, we can see that she will only attend court hearings.)

According to David, his conversation with Guo yesterday centered on the updates on their Supreme Court petition where they asked to nullify a Senate subpoena issued against her.

"Nand'yan siya sa bansa, sa Pilipinas although di ko tinatanong saan specifically para walang issue," he said.

(She's still in the country, in the Philippines although I don't ask her where specifically to avoid any issue.)

Guo also committed to appear before the courts if her presence is needed, David said.

"Halimbawa lang umabot sa arraignment eh kailangan ma-arraign siya doon. Kapag nirequire siya ng prosecutor na mag-appear para panumpaan 'yung kanyang affidavit, eh kailangan siyang manumpa doon ng affidavit, pero although most of the time, pwede naman 'yun outside lawyers ang mag-notarize ng mga dokumento," David said.

(If there will be an arraignment, if the prosecutor would require her to appear for her affidavit, she will attend. But most of the time lawyers can notarize the documents.)

"'Yun ang assurance niya sa akin. 'Yun ang sinabi niya sa'kin. Kasi sayang naman ang magiging depensa niya (That is her assurance to me)," he added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News