Suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo is hesitant to attend the Senate’s ongoing investigation into the raided POGO hub in her town, citing trauma from previous hearings, according to her legal counsel, Stephen David.
Despite a subpoena and warnings from Senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian about potential contempt charges and arrest, Guo remains apprehensive. “Nu’ng kausap ko siya, ang sabi niya mukhang hindi niya kaya dahil sa mga trauma na nararanasan niya,” David shared in an interview with Dobol B TV on Monday. He explained that the stress and accusations have significantly affected Guo.
David mentioned that it is up to the lawmakers to consider Guo’s medical conditions, though her doctors are reluctant to issue a medical certificate out of fear of being summoned to testify. “Pinagtataka niya bakit galit na galit sa kanya ang mga netizen e samantalang wala naman siyang ninakaw, wala namang kinorap, wala namang pinatay na tao,” David added, expressing Guo’s confusion over the public’s anger towards her.
Furthermore, David questioned the validity of documents used to link Guo to Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, with the National Bureau of Investigation confirming that both sets of fingerprints belonged to the same person. He expressed skepticism about the authenticity of the documents and suggested that they should be examined in court.
In response, Senator Hontiveros emphasized that Guo is not the only one affected by the investigation. “Hindi lang siya ang traumatized…Pati ang sambayanang Pilipino traumatized na may Chinese national na naging mayor ng Pilipinas,” she remarked, underscoring the broader impact of the case.
Hontiveros insisted that mental health cannot be used to avoid accountability and reiterated that Guo must attend the next hearing on Wednesday to avoid further legal consequences. “Mayor Alice Guo, the truth will give you peace of mind,” she urged.
Mayor Guo remains at the center of the Senate investigation concerning the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac, and faces suspicions of involvement in a criminal syndicate operated by Chinese nationals. Her citizenship has also come under scrutiny due to inconsistencies in her background and questionable documents regarding her Filipino citizenship.