Alice Guo, the former mayor of Bamban, did not post bail when she appeared before the Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 109, which issued an arrest warrant against her for graft charges.
Guo was required to post bail amounting to PHP 180,000 — PHP 90,000 for each of the two graft charges — to gain temporary release.
His lawyer, Nicola Jamila, explained that Guo chose not to post bail, saying, “Currently, we do not see the need to do so. Posting bail will not achieve its purpose, as there is another warrant of arrest against him.”
Because of this, Guo will remain in the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and will not be immediately transferred to the Senate, where he has an outstanding arrest warrant and is scheduled to appear before a panel investigating Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). on September 9.
Jamila mentioned that Guo feels safe in PNP custody. When asked about Guo's possible attendance at the Senate hearing, Jamila said that it is up to the Tarlac court to decide because it has jurisdiction over Guo.
"The court has authority over him. We will follow any decision or order of the judge,” said Jamila.
Senator Risa Hontiveros criticized the situation, saying she contacted both the Tarlac RTC and the PNP Custodial Center to ensure Guo's presence at Monday's Senate hearing.
Hontiveros emphasizes his respect for the court but hopes it will comply with the Senate's request, which is in line with its mandate to discover the truth about POGOs, Alice Guo, and people related to her.
Hontiveros questioned the handling of the case, saying Guo should have been transferred to the Senate after the process by the National Bureau of Investigation and the PNP, since the Senate issued the first arrest warrant.
“The Sandiganbayan usually handles graft cases against high officials like Mayor Guo. Did the DILG file a less serious case to capture the fugitive? Why?” Hontiveros asked.
He added, “What happened was very unusual. We will look at who is behind this situation and why it is being handled this way.”
Hontiveros expected that Guo may choose not to post bail to avoid the Senate hearing, as indicated in a statement before Guo's appearance in Tarlac.
“If Guo Hua Ping chooses not to post bail, it means that she prefers to remain in the custody of the PNP rather than the Senate facility. We need to know why," said Hontiveros.
After his deportation and arrival from Indonesia on the morning of September 5, Guo was taken to the PNP Custodial Center. He was then transported by the police to Tarlac.
PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo confirmed that Guo's personal attendance in court is required to verify his arrest under the issued warrant.
