Hontiveros: Senate should have custody of Guo

Former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, who just returned to the country after being nabbed by authorities in Indonesia, should be placed under Senate custody, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said Friday.

“Dapat sa Senado muna siya i-detain para makaharap sa hearing sa Lunes. Ginagalang ko ang karapatan ng Judiciary na maglabas ng warrant pero ang Senado ang may pinaka-unang arrest warrant laban sa kanya,” Hontiveros said in a press statement.

(She should be detained in the Senate first so she can face the probe on Monday. I respect the right of the Judiciary to issue a warrant, but the Senate has a standing arrest order against her.)

Guo is facing scrutiny in the Senate since she was one of incorporators of Baofu Land Development Inc., the owner of the land where the raided POGO hub in March was located.

During the raid, around 600 Filipinos and foreigners were rescued.

“Ang Senado ang nag-trigger ng manhunt. Senate warrant ang bitbit ng ating law enforcement sa Jakarta,” Hontiveros added.

(The Senate inquiry triggered the manhunt for her, and the warrant of arrest we issued is the one used by law enforcers.)

A Tarlac court issued a warrant of arrest against Guo in connection with a graft case. 

But Hontiveros said the Supreme Court case of Binay v. Sandiganbayan was "clear" that criminal cases against municipal mayors fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.

"Bakit po kaya Tarlac court ang nag-issue? At bakit siya dinala sa Tarlac? Hiniling ko na si Gen. [Roberto] Ancan ng OSAA (Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms) ay sumunod doon para mamonitor ang mga pangyayari doon," she said.

(Why does it have to be the Tarlac court that must issue the warrant? And why was it brought to Tarlac? I requested Gen. Roberto Ancan of OSAA to go there and monitor the developments.)

Hontiveros likewise pointed out the commitment made by National Bureau of Investigation chief Jaime Santiago that Guo will be turned over to the Senate after the necessary processes in the NBI or the PNP.

"Ngayon kung si Guo Hua Ping ay di mag-piyansya, ibig sabihin mas gusto pa niya makulong sa PNP kaysa sa Senate (If Guo Hua Ping refuses to post bail, it means she would rather be detained at the PNP than at the Senate). We need to ask why. Why does she want to be in a jail more than in the Senate detention facility?" she asked.

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero relayed information from Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Roberto Ancan that the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will bring Guo to the Tarlac court because "the judge required her physical presence."

According to Ancan, Guo could either post bail and the PNP will turn her over to the Senate or she will not post bail then she will remain under PNP custody.

"Overheard kanina na baka 'di na siya mag post ng bail and she will remain under PNP custody,” Ancan, as relayed by Escudero to the reporters, said.

(I overheard earlier that she might not post bail and she'll remain in PNP's custody.)

"If this happens (she doesn't post bail), Senator Risa’s Committee might need to ask the court for permission to bring her to the Senate to attend the hearing," Escudero added.

In a separate interview, Ancan acknowledged that the warrant of arrest from the courts should prevail.

"'Yung Judiciary talaga ang mauuna kasi ang Senate ang sa amin is contempt 'yung legislative contempt," he said.

Ancan disclosed that there was a commitment order for Guo to be detained at the PNP Custodial Center.

"Di siya nagbail. I'm waiting for the copy," he said.

(She didn't post bail. I'm waiting for the copy of the commitment order to the PNP Custodial Center.)

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. earlier said it was already on the plane that the charges against Guo before the Tarlac court were read.

But he said the basis of Guo's arrest in Indonesia was the arrest order from the Senate which was issued in July.

The former mayor maintained that she is not involved in POGO-related crimes, saying the accusations were exaggerated, if not erroneous.

Guo was nabbed by Indonesian authorities in Tangerang City early Wednesday morning.

TIMELINE: The escape of Alice Guo and her siblings

She was brought back to the country early Friday morning. —AOL/VBL, GMA Integrated News