MANILA, Philippines – A Tarlac court has issued an arrest warrant against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo for graft charges, the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed on Thursday, September 5.
PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo confirmed that Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 109 issued the warrant of arrest against Guo for two counts of alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act No. 3019, a bailable offense.
The court set bail at P90,000 for each count.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires confirmed to Rappler that his office filed a criminal case against Guo before the Tarlac court. This meant that the Ombudsman found sufficient evidence to indict Guo and pursue the case against her. This is the same office that suspended and later dismissed Guo over another set of administrative complaints filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Guo is on her way back to the Philippines, following her arrest in Indonesia. She is expected to arrive in the country late Thursday night.
Fajardo said on Thursday night that Guo will undergo regular booking like any other individual who faces a warrant of arrest. After her arrival, she will undergo a medical examination at Camp Crame, the PNP’s national headquarters. Fajardo said Guo will be turned over to the Senate due to the chamber’s standing arrest order against the mayor.
The warrant stemmed from a complaint filed against Guo over her alleged involvement with an illegal Philippine offshore and gaming operator (POGO) in Bamban. The DILG argued that Guo failed to revoke the business permit of the illegal POGO even though its Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation license had already expired.
This is the first court arrest order against Guo, who faces a string of allegations. There’s also a standing arrest order from the Senate against Guo for snubbing the upper chamber’s probe into POGOs.
Guo faces at least three other criminal complaints pending before the Department of Justice: qualified human trafficking, tax evasion, and money laundering. These are all related to her incorporation of a leasing company called Baofu, which rented its spaces out to a POGO called HongSheng/Zun Yuan, which was found with evidence of torture and trafficking.
Evidence submitted by several agencies to the DOJ claim Guo never divested from Baofu, contrary to her claim that she let go of her interest when she won as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac in May 2022.
Guo’s sister Shiela said the dismissed mayor fled the Philippines by boat around July 14, and reached Sabah, Malaysia on July 18. However, several Philippine authorities have expressed doubts over Shiela’s testimony. – Rappler.com