PNP detains Guo under Tarlac court warrant, not Senate order

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros expressed confusion over a Tarlac court issuing an arrest warrant for dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, despite the Senate having previously issued its own warrant.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) took custody of Guo following her return from Indonesia where she was arrested in July. A Tarlac court has now approved Hontiveros' request to have Guo attend a public hearing at the Senate on Monday, September 10, provided strict security protocol is observed.

The PNP's decision to detain Guo under their jurisdiction is due to a Tarlac court warrant for violation of graft laws, rather than the Senate’s original arrest order issued last July. The court also ordered the Philippine National Police Custodial Center to bring Guo to the Senate hearing.

Hontiveros emphasized that the Senate has exclusive rights over Guo and insisted on her being held at the Senate facility for an upcoming hearing. She cited legal precedence from the case Binay vs Sandiganbayan which states criminal cases against mayors fall under Sandiganbayan’s jurisdiction, questioning the Tarlac court's authority.

Guo's legal team plans to seek a court order to maintain the status quo without posting bail immediately, while the Commission on Elections awaits its law department’s decision regarding Guo's request for an extension related to her counter-affidavit filing.