Police chiefs alerted to help Senate hunt vs. Guo, 7 others

Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo (File Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it has directed regional directors and police chiefs to assist the Senate in arresting suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, and seven others.

This came after the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms (OSSA) started the hunt against the mayor, Sheila Leal Guo, Wesley Leal Guo, Jian Zhong Guo, Seimen Guo, and her suspected mother Wen Yi Lin, as well as Dennis Cunanan and Guo’s accountant Nancy Gamo, following the release of the chamber’s arrest order against them.

To date, only Gamo was found in her address and was taken to the Senate by the arresting team on Saturday.

In a press briefing held at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said police chiefs in areas where the accused individuals have addresses have been alerted.

“Dun sa arrest warants na inissue laban kay Mayor Alice Guo at iba nyang associates, associated sa kanya, nung nakaraang weekend nga ay nagprovide ng security assistance ang PNP yung mga personnel ng senate sergeant at arms (As for the arrest warrants issued against Mayor Alice Guo and her other associates, the PNP provided security assistance to the personnel of the Senate Sergeant at Armas last weekend). But as we speak, I don’t have any information whether nagkaroon uli ng attempt na i-serve itong mga warrants of arrest na ito (there was another attempt to serve these warrants of arrest),” she added.

The OSSA was given 24 hours to serve the arrest orders and detain the eight individuals at its office until they appear and testify before the Senate committee investigating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) or purge themselves of contempt.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, said the eight were also ordered to appear before her committee on July 29.

The subpoenas were signed by Hontiveros and approved by Senate President Francis Escudero.