Senate gets custody of Shiela Guo ahead of hearing

A total of 26 resource persons, including department secretaries as well as bureau and agency heads, are expected to appear today before a joint hearing by three Senate committees on the escape of dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, her siblings and companions.

- CECILLE SUERTE FELIPE

One of the resource persons is Guo’s sister Shiela Leal Guo, who was turned over to the chamber yesterday by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after being charged with obstruction of justice and illegal use of passport, among other criminal charges.

Guo’s business partner Cassandra Li Ong was turned over to the House of Representatives by the NBI.

The joint hearings by the justice and human rights sub-committee and the committees on women, children, family relations and gender equality and on public services would be presided over by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

The committees are also expected to discuss the proposal of the Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel the Philippine passport of Alice Guo, who turned out be a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping.

Shiela and Ong, an incorporator of Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) Whirlwind Corp., were arrested by Indonesian authorities at Mega Mall Batam Centre, a mall in Riau, Indonesia on Aug. 20.

Other invited resource persons are Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

Also invited were Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, NBI Director Jaime Santiago, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) chairman Alejandro Tengco, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Emilio Aquino, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines director general Manuel Antonio Tamayo, Philippine Statistics Authority Undersecretary Dennis Mapa and Presidential AntiOrganized Crime Commission’s Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz.

Lawyer Elmer Galicia, who notarized Alice Guo’s counteraffidavit earlier this month even after she had supposedly left the country in July, has also been invited to the hearing.

In handcuffs