Senators looking forward to Guo's attendance at POGO probe after arrest in Indonesia

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.

In a press briefing, Hontiveros said Guo will face the Senate justice and human rights subcommittee's inquiry into her escape on Thursday if she will return to the Philippines before the hearing starts at 1 p.m.

"I'm really hoping makaharap na siya bukas. So, tinatarget namin. But we can only target so much. Dahil malaking bagay muna malaman namin sa pagitan ng Indonesian at Philippine authorities. Kailan talaga at anong oras siya maibabalik dito?" she said.

(I'm really hoping she'll face us tomorrow. So, that's our target. But we can only target so much. We need to clarify a lot of things between the Indonesian and Philippine authorities first. When exactly and at what time will she be brought back here?)

If not, Hontiveros said the hearing will be set as soon as possible so Guo can answer right away the questions that senators will ask her.

"I am fully expecting magsasalita na siya ng kumpleto at katotohanan kasi patunay itong pag-aresto sa kanya na hindi siya makakatakas talaga... Kumbaga, she has nowhere else to go," Hontiveros said.

(I'm fully expecting her to tell the whole truth now, because this arrest serves as proof that she can't escape anymore... In other words, she has nowhere else to go.)

"Tingin ko malakas ang dating nitong pagkaaresto niya sa kanya dahil umalis siya sa Pilipinas nang ganun-ganun lang," she added.

(I think the impact of his arrest was strong on her because she left the Philippines just like that.)

Hontiveros also stressed that Guo cannot invoke her right against self-incrimination if she attempts not to attend the Senate inquiries, which is also looking into how she fled the country.

According to the senator, Guo will stay at the Senate until the committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, which cited the dismissed mayor in contempt, decides to release her from detention.

Should they decide to release her, Hontiveros said Guo could be detained on the basis of the qualified human trafficking case filed against her or the Senate could ask the Bureau of Immigration if there are standing complaints to ensure that she will not escape the Philippines for the second time.

"Definitely, hindi na natin pauulitin ang kumakas siya at may mga magkulang o worse makipagsabwatan para patakasin siyang ulit," Hontiveros said.

(We will definitely not let her escape again or become negligent again or worse, conspire to help her escape once more.)

Hontiveros said that the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality is eyeing to hold two to three more hearings  to continue their questions regarding the other individuals who were suspected to be involved in the POGO operations in Bamban.

"Maaaring hindi siya 'yung pinakamataas pa. Maaaring hindi pa siya 'yung pinakamalaking isda dito. At 'yun 'yung gustong tumbukin ng committee on women bilang bahagi ng pag-wrap up ng kabuuang apat na taon nang imbeestigasyon laban sa POGOs," she said.  

(It's possible that she's not the biggest fish here. And that's what the Committee on Women wants to target as part of wrapping up the four-year investigation into POGOs.)

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.)

'No choice'

At a press conference, Gatchalian said Guo has "no choice" but to tell the truth about the POGO operations in Bamban at the Senate because "this is the dead end for her."

He added that the links between the illegal POGO hubs in Bamban and Porac have already been "established" due to their affiliation with Cassandra Li Ong and the observed "similarities" on the operations of the two POGOs.

Further, Gatchalian raised the possibility of a connivance between Guo and law enforcers with regard to her escape from the Philippines.

"Bakit two months hindi mahanap hanap? Two months na paikot-ikot siya dito, two months na nakatakas siya, hindi natin mahanap-hanap. Hindi ko rin maalis sa isip natin baka nagkaroon ng sabwatan within our enforcement agencies," he said.

(Why can't we find her after two months? She's been roaming around here for two months, she's been on the loose for two months, yet we can't track her down. I also can't shake off the thought that there might be collusion within our law enforcement agencies.)

"Sa Indonesia after binigyan ng notice agad nahuli si Shiela Guo at si Cassandra. I think, less than one day or two days lang yun nung nagsalita si Presidente...Tapos ito, nung nahuli ulit si Guo Hua Ping, that's less than two weeks. Kung nagagawa nila 'yon, bakit dito sa atin hindi nagagawa ng enforcement agencies natin," he quipped.

(In Indonesia, after being given immediate notice, Shiela Guo and Cassandra were caught. I think it was less than a day or two after the President spoke...Then, when Guo Hua Ping was caught again, that was less than two weeks. If they can do that, why can't our enforcement agencies do the same here?)

For him, this is a "shame" to Philippine law enforcement agencies and the case of the Guos should be a "wake up call" to them.

Gatchalian also called for the immediate filing of cases against Guo to make sure that there is a hold departure order against Guo, whom he tagged as a flight risk.

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/ VDV, GMA Integrated News