Senate summons Guo to Pogo probe, cites lack of ‘good reason to be absent’

Suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo — File photo from MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate panel on women is issuing subpoenas to suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, her father, her suspected mother and her siblings.

“I need to just need to — just for the process of the committee – to repeat the chair’s motion to subpoena Mayor Alice Leal Guo, Lin Wen Yi, Guo Jian Zhong, Sheila Guo, Siemen Leal, and Wesley Leal and other earlier-mentioned resource persons who are not present and without good reason to be absent in this hearing,” said Hontiveros.

She made the statement during the panel’s hearing on Wednesday on the proliferation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) in the country.

Hontiveros made the motion being the chair of the panel.

Her motion was seconded by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian who is also present at the probe.

READ: Pogo probe: Guo, 2 other Bamban execs suspended

The embattled local official skipped the hearing.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Atty. Stephen David — Guo’s legal counsel — said the controversial official is “sick and stressed.”

The suspended mayor has been scrutinized after the Senate committee on women bared her alleged ties to Zun Yuan Technology Inc. — an illegal Pogo hub in Bamban.

Guo, however, repeatedly denied all accusations hurled against her, including being an alleged China spy.