Guo presented to a Tarlac court

POLICE operatives brought dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo to a court in Capas, Tarlac for the return of the arrest warrant against her.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office (PIO) chief Colonel Jean Fajardo said Guo, escorted by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), left the PNP custodial center around 9:40 a.m. on Friday, September 6, 2024.

“As a matter of procedure ay dadalhin siya physically kay judge para ipakita na siya ay naaresto at mag aantay tayo ng decision ng korte kung maglalabas ba ito ng commitment order para siya ay i-commit sa ibang detention facility,” Fajardo said.

(As a matter of procedure, she will be physically brought before the judge to show that she has been arrested, and we will await the court's decision on whether it will issue a commitment order to transfer her to another detention facility.)

“Otherwise ay ibabalik siya dito at ‘yung mga kaso naman niya ay bailable so may karapatan siya. Kagabi ay pinayagan naman siya na makausap ‘yung kanyang lawyer na isa at ngayon kung napansin niyo marami pong lawyers niya na dumating doon at bago siya dumating sa RTC (Regional Trial Court) ay binigyan ulit natin sila ng pagkakataon na makapag usap,” she added.

(Otherwise, she will be brought back here, and since her cases are bailable, she has the right to bail. Last night, she was allowed to meet with her lawyer, and today, if you noticed, many of her lawyers arrived. Before she appeared at the RTC, we gave them another opportunity to consult with her.)

The Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 109 issued an arrest warrant against Guo on September 5 in relation to the complaints filed against her by the Department of Interior and Local Government for the alleged violation of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The CIDG served Guo the warrant of arrest upon her arrival in the country from Indonesia at dawn on Friday.

She was brought to the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, where she was detained for several hours.

The court set the bail for each charge at P90,000.

'Not posting bail'

In a radio interview, Guo’s legal counsel Stephen David said they will not post bail yet and will seek a court’s order to maintain the status quo for several days in order for Guo to remain in the PNP custodial center.

“Hindi naman urgent 'yan. Nakakulong pa rin dahil sa warrant ng Senado. Saka na 'yung pagpo-post ng bail. Pag na-cease na 'yung warrant sa Senate, 'pag nag-cooperate, saka na namin aasikasuhin ang bail,” David said.

(That's not urgent. She is still detained due to the Senate warrant. Posting bail can wait. Once the Senate warrant is lifted and if she cooperates, we will then handle the bail.)

Fajardo said if the court grants Guo's camp to maintain the status quo, it will issue a commitment order to know where Guo will be detained.

“Explain lang natin dahil ‘yung warrant of arrest na in-issue ng Capas takes precedence over the arrest warrant issued by the Senate. So kung magkakaroon ng hearing ulit ang Senado at nasa custody pa siya ng PNP at hindi pa nakakapagbail ang ibig sabihin nun ay nasa hurisdiksyon pa rin siya ng korte,” Fajardo said.

(Let's explain that the arrest warrant issued by Capas takes precedence over the arrest warrant issued by the Senate. So if the Senate holds another hearing and she is still in PNP custody and has not posted bail, it means she is still under the court's jurisdiction.)

“Pagka ganun pong mga kaso ay dapat, kung meron man, in this case ‘yung Senate ay magre-request na mag-appear sa kanila, ay kailangan po nila mag-request sa mismong korte na nag-issue ng warrant of arrest,” she added.

(In such cases, if there are any, like in this case where the Senate requests her appearance, they need to make a request to the court that issued the arrest warrant.)

Guo was arrested in Indonesia based on the arrest order issued by the Senate after she stopped cooperating in its ongoing investigation into the raided illegal Pogo hub in Bamban, Tarlac. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)