SC upholds Senate subpoena for ex-Mayor Alice Guo on Chinese espionage links

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday upheld the Senate subpoena issued against former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, who has been linked to alleged Chinese espionage activities.

Last year, the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality conducted an inquiry into POGO-related issues in Bamban and required Guo's presence; after missing two hearings, she was issued an arrest order and cited for contempt.

In July 2024, Guo petitioned the SC to annul the subpoena but lost her case. The court ruled that her rights were not violated and the inquiry was a legitimate exercise of legislative power.

The SC emphasized that public officials have limited privacy expectations when their actions involve official functions or matters of national interest, such as POGO activities in Bamban.

Documents like Guo's birth certificate, SALNs, and business records were deemed essential for the investigation and lawfully disclosed under the Senate Rules of Procedure.

Guo faces several cases before different courts related to trafficking, graft, material misrepresentation, and a quo warranto petition seeking to cancel her birth certificate.

Senator Risa Hontiveros welcomed the SC's decision, noting that it strengthens the Senate’s ability to uncover truth in matters of public interest and paves the way for total POGO ban legislation.