Senate President Chiz Escudero. (OS Escudero)
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s Office of Legal Counsel is presently reviewing the filing of a case of perjury and disobedience to summons against dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, said Senate President Chiz Escudero on Wednesday.
READ: Senator mulls filing criminal case vs Guo, others
Speaking to reporters in a press conference, Escudero said the chamber is working on identifying who would file the affidavit.
“Ipinadala na namin sa Senate Legal at pag-aaralan nila kung sino ang gagawa ng affidavit kasi syempre hindi naman si Sen. Win Gatchalian at si Sen. Risa Hontiveros mismo yung may personal knowledge kaugnay nung pagsisinungaling o hindi pagsunod sa subpoena particularly hindi pagsunod sa subpoena,” Escudero told reporters.
(We have submitted it to the Senate legal team for them to study who would accomplish the affidavit because it’s not Gatchalian and Hontiveros who have personal knowledge in terms of who lied or obeyed the subpoena issued.)
Existing laws mandate members of the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms or other employees of the chamber to execute the complaint affidavit, said the Senate chief.
In a separate statement issued also Wednesday, Gatchalian made the same remark, noting that the chamber will, indeed, pursue the filing of a criminal case against Guo for perjury and “continued defiance of a Senate subpoena.”
Even if the dismissed mayor has evaded authorities, Gatchalian said he will ensure that those who aided her escape are held responsible.
Hontiveros previously bared that Guo had left the country.
“This is a slap in the face of the Bureau of Immigration, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and the airport manager concerned. You can’t just walk into an airport undetected, nor can you leave our airports undocumented. You have to pass through immigration and countless CCTVs. There should be traces of movement inside the airport all the way to boarding the plane,” Gatchalian said.
“This is a temporary setback for the country. The cases should continue. She is now facing numerous charges. Her world will shrink, and the long arm of the law will eventually catch up to her,” he said.
According to Gatchalian, making false statements while under oath is a violation of Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, adding that Guo’s refusal to attend the Senate hearing is a violation of Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code which penalizes disobedience to summons issued by Congress.
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.