Tarlac court allows Alice Guo attend Senate inquiry

The Tarlac court which ordered the arrest of Alice Guo on graft charges has granted the Senate's request for her to appear in the continuation of the legislative investigation into the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Senator Risa Hontiveros, the chairperson of the Senate committee that conducts the investigation, shared a copy of the order issued by Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 109 Presiding Judge Sarah Vedaña-Delos Santos.

"Given the critical importance of the ongoing inquiry in aid of legislation, the Court grants the Senator's request," the order read.

"Wherefore, the accused Alice Guo alias 'Guo Hua Ping' is allowed to attend the scheduled public hearing mentioned above provided that strict protocol be observed," it added.

The Tarlac court likewise ordered the PNP Custodial Center to bring Guo to the Senate on Monday.

Philippine National Police spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said "the PNP will follow the court order with strict observance of security protocol as ordered by the court."

Earlier today, Hontiveros wrote Vedaña-Delos Santos as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality asking the Tarlac court to allow Guo to attend the continuation of the panel's investigation scheduled on September 9.

The request was made after the court issued a commitment order for Guo, who did not post bail, to be detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

Hontiveros insisted that Guo should have been turned over to the Senate after being processed by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police upon her arrival in the Philippines from Indonesia.

The lawmaker also insisted that the Sandiganbayan should handle the graft and corruption charges against high-ranking officials like Guo.

Guo was brought to Capas RTC in compliance with the warrant of arrest that was issued against her on Thursday.

The dismissed mayor left Camp Crame at 9:40 a.m. and arrived at the Tarlac court past 11 a.m. She left the court past noon to return to the PNP Custodial Center.

Guo, who is facing human trafficking and money laundering complaints, was nabbed by Indonesian authorities in Tangerang City early Wednesday morning.

She arrived in the Philippines early Friday morning. —NB, GMA Integrated News