Alice Guo to name 'most guilty' in POGO operations

The Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality has conducted an executive session with dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo to divulge details that she refused to disclose to the public.

It was Senator JV Ejercito who moved to conduct the closed door session with Guo, which was eventually approved and conducted by the Senate panel at the office of Majority Leader Francis Tolentino.

Ejercito said this as Guo maintained that she is not the "mastermind" in the POGO operations in Bamban, Tarlac as she described herself as "just a victim."

"Hindi po ako guilty po...'Di naman po sa ginamit. If ever po, kung meron po akong naitulong, ano po akong tao, helpful akong tao. Kung meron man po, yun lang po. Sa mga activities po na ginawa or sa mga allegations po, wala po akong kinalaman," Guo said.

(I'm not guilty... It's not that I was used. If I ever helped anyone, I am a helpful person. That's all. But regarding the activities and the allegations, I don't have anything to do with them.)

"I think, sa tagal po ng investigation, alam na rin po ng committee po, especially chaired by our madam chairman po who's really at the back of everything po," she added.

(I think that with the length of the investigation, the committee, especially our madam chairman, has an idea on who's really at the back of everything.)

Asked if she is willing to name the "most guilty" individual, Guo answered in the affirmative.

"Yes po, your honor," Guo said.

Hontiveros, who earlier rejected Guo's request for an executive session, welcomed the dismissed mayor's answers.

"I think it's the first time na narinig ko na sinabi ni Guo Hua Ping na meron na tayong natutumbok sa buong kwento, kung sino ang pinakamatataas sa likod nitong mga POGOs sa Pilipinas at 'yung isa pa naming gustong malaman sino sa mga government personnel or officials ang tumulong sa pagtakas kahit for monetary considerations," Hontiveros said.

(I think it's the first time that I heard Guo Hua Ping that we are headed towards uncovering the whole story, namely the identity of the highest individual behind POGOs in the Philippines. We also want to know the government personnel or officials who helped her escape, even for monetary considerations.)

Before the committee approved the motion to hold an executive session, Guo requested the panel to conduct it in the presence of her two legal counsels who were not able to attend the hearing today.

'May napala naman'

In the end, the committee offered Guo to start the executive session on Tuesday with her two legal counsels attending virtually and continue it when the lawyers are physically present.

"We can just start for a few minutes and then we can continue next week, but please don't when to hold the executive session," Hontiveros said while negotiating with Guo.

"That is what we're offering to start now kahit a few minutes. You can have your two legal counsels through zoom. Then magpatuloy tayo pag nandito sila physically," she added.

After Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Roberto Ancan persuaded her, Guo agreed to the senators' offer.

Following the executive session, Ejercito told reporters, "may napala naman."

According to the senator, the closed door session only lasted for several minutes due to the 3 p.m. session in the Senate.

This will continue next week and Guo promised to "recall everything."

Guo is facing a graft case and a qualified human trafficking case before a Valenzuela court and a Pasig court, respectively.

Aside from this, a quo warranto petition seeking to nullify her proclamation as Bamban mayor was also filed against Guo with a Manila court, as well as a petition to cancel her birth certificate before a Tarlac court.

She is also facing 87 counts for money laundering before the Department of Justice.

Earlier, at least three senators rejected Guo's appeal for an executive session to discreetly disclose information regarding her alleged ties to illegal POGOs. Hontiveros had said Guo must tell the public the truth before they grant her request for a closed session.

Guo was arrested in Indonesia on Sept. 4 and was brought back to the Philippines on Sept. 6. —VAL/VDV, GMA Integrated News