Senate subpoenas Alice Guo's over P1-billion check disbursements

The Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality on Tuesday ordered the issuance of subpoenas to compel former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to produce records of check disbursements of around P1.1 billion from her account.

During the continuation of the inquiry into the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) in the country, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian Gatchalian observed that the check disbursements happened from 2018 to 2024 coinciding with the construction of the raided POGO hub in Bamban town.

When Gatchalian asked Guo what the check deposits were for, Guo said she would have to check first.

“Definitely, wala po yung sinasabi niyo pong POGO hub sa Bamban. Yan po ang para sa farm lang po,” Guo said

(Definitely, there are no deposits for the POGO hub in Bamban. The checks were only used for the farm.)

“Pero hindi mo masabi saan nanggaling yung pera. Bakit hindi mo rin masabi saan napunta ang pera?” Gatchalian said.

(But you cannot tell where the money came from or where was it spent?)  

In response, Guo said she could not respond to Gatchalian’s query because she is facing charges filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and other government agencies.

According to AMLC, there are 87 counts of money laundering filed against Guo and other respondents at the Department of Justice.  

When Guo said she would check where the checks were spent, Gatchalian asked if she was willing to submit the transaction records.

“Pag labas ko po tsaka ko mabibigyan ng record kasi nasa akin yung record,” Guo replied.

(Upon my release, I will give the records since I have them.)

When Gatchalian once again asked Guo if she was willing to submit the bank records, Guo said no and then later said anew that she would double-check the records and submit them to the committee.

Gatchalian made a motion to subpoena the records, which was seconded by a colleague.

Gatchalian earlier said the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has "totally failed" in performing its mandate as it was not able to flag the entry of P6.1 billion money used for the construction of the POGO hub in Bamban town. —LDF, GMA Integrated News