2 senators reject Guo camp’s request for executive session in Senate

Dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo appears in the Senate on Monday, September 9, 2024, at the resumption Senate inquiry into the Pogo hub in Tarlac. INQUIRER.net / NOY MORCOSO

MANILA, Philippines — Two senators rejected on Tuesday requests and appeals from Alice Guo’s camp to convene the chamber in an executive session, rather than a public hearing, when discussing her alleged ties to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

In a statement, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who heads the chamber’s panel on women, said her committee has not seen any reason to believe that the dismissed Bamban mayor, whose real name is Guo Hua Ping, would provide them reliable information that would merit them to grant an executive session.

“Ni hindi nga pa rin nya maamin na Chinese national siya at ipinanganak siya sa China kahit harap-harapan nang ipinakita ang mga ebidensya sa kanya. Nakakainsulto na pinipilit pa rin niyang Pilipino siya,” said Hontiveros.

(She can’t even admit that she is a Chinese national born in China even though we’ve shown her evidence proving such. It’s insulting that she’s still insisting on her Filipino citizenship.)

“If she cannot even tell the truth about her identity, why should we believe everything else that comes out of her mouth? Magpakatotoo siya sa susunod na pagdinig, at baka sakali maniwala kaming magpapakatotoo din siya sa isang executive session,” she added.

(She should be truthful in the next hearing and we might believe her that she would be truthful in an executive session.)

In a separate statement also issued Tuesday, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada echoed the same concerns raised by Hontiveros.

“What difference does it make if she discloses in an open session as against a proceeding conducted behind closed doors? Guo testified falsely before us, telling us a tall tale about her circumstances and practically everything we asked her in the previous Senate hearings. What assurance that she will be open, truthful, and cooperative this time?” he pointed out.

According to Estrada, granting the request of Guo’s camp could “undermine the principle of transparency and public accountability in Senate investigations.”

READ: Alice Guo reveals she fled Philippines aboard a yacht

He then warned that it could foster secrecy and erode public trust in the Senate proceedings.

“Personally, the only thing that could convince me to conduct an executive session is when she could provide concrete proof of the existence of threats to her life,” said Estrada.

During the Senate Monday hearing, Guo repeatedly opted not to answer certain queries raised by senators.

She kept on requesting for an executive session, noting that she cannot divulge in public the information being requested.