Senator Sherwin Gatchalian (left) and suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo | PHOTOS: Senate PRIB and INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian once again urged suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to voluntarily surrender herself before the Senate, emphasizing that her life wouldn’t be normal if she goes into hiding.
Speaking to reporters in an ambush interview on Tuesday, Gatchalian said he is confident that Guo is still in the Philippines. He, however, said there is a need to “wait” for now as there’s still no certainty that the controversial local official would comply with the chamber’s arrest order.
“I think we just have to wait for now. Hindi rin siya makakalabas ng bahay niya at hindi siya pwedeng mag-malling, hindi normal ang buhay niya. Hindi magiging normal ang kanyang pamumuhay na pwede siyang kumain [sa] restaurant dahil mahuhuli at mahuhuli siya, pinakamaganda sa kanya mag-surrender na lang, para matuloy na natin ang hearing dahil kung ganito mangyayari sa kanya, hindi magiging normal ang kanyang pamumuhay kasi hindi siya makakalabas ng kanyang pinagtataguan,” said Gatchalian.
(I think we just have to wait for now. She also can’t leave her house and she can’t go shopping, her life is not normal. Her life will not be normal that she can eat at a restaurant because she will be caught and arrested, it is best for her to just surrender, so that we can continue with the hearing because if this happens to her, her life will not be normal because she will not be able to go out of her hiding place.)
But what would be the direction of the Senate’s proceedings should Guo fail to appear before the Senate on the continuation of the panel on women’s probe into illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators?
Gatchalian said he intends to look deeper into Guo’s alleged partners, the money laundering side, as well as other people who have ties with the local official — including Nancy Gamo, her alleged accountant who is now under the custody of the Senate.
The Senate on Saturday issued an arrest order against Guo and seven others for refusing to appear, despite due notices, at the committee on women’s hearing on July 10.
A quick look into the official arrest order shared to the media would show that it was signed by panel head Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Escudero.
The document stated that Guo’s refusal to appear before the Senate “delayed, impeded, and obstructed” the inquiry into the reported violation of human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and physical abuse and torture in the premises of an internet gaming licensee of the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation.
Guo is subjected to scrutiny after the Senate panel on women bared her alleged ties to illegal pogo firm Zun Yuan Technology Inc. in Bamban, Tarlac. Questions about her citizenship were also raised, leading to allegations that she is a Chinese spy — which she vehemently denied.
READ: Arrest Alice Guo, others – Senate
Apart from the embattled local official, arrest orders against her family members Sheila Guo, Wesley Leal Guo, Jian Zhong Guo, Seimen Guo and her suspected mother Wen Yi Lin were likewise released.
Also ordered arrested were Dennis Cunanan, an alleged authorized representative of Pogos, and Gamo.