MANILA - A Valenzuela court has postponed the arraignment of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo to September 30.

Guo went to the Valenzuela Regional Trial Court Branch 282 on Friday for her arraignment for the two counts of graft filed against her by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The graft case was filed against Guo for allegedly using her position to issue permits for the illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Bamban.

The Supreme Court earlier allowed the transfer of Guo’s graft cases from Capas, Tarlac to Valenzuela, but Valenzuela RTC Branch 282 Judge Elena Amigo Amano postponed the arraignment to September 30, citing the pending motion to quash information filed by Guo’s camp when the case was still in Capas, Tarlac.

The court allowed the prosecution to submit its position paper regarding the case, but during the hearing, there seemed to be a custody issue, or where Guo will be detained.

Judge Amano decided that Guo should be held in the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Valenzuela while waiting for her arraignment.

But during the hearing, the court also received a request for custody from the House of Representatives because of the contempt order on Guo. The Senate also requested custody of Guo.

The court also decided on a P540,000 bail bond for Guo.

As of posting, Guo has posted bail, and is on her way to Camp Crame where she will undergo a medical check-up before her transfer to the Pasig City Jail Female Dormitory.

The Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 167 earlier issued a commitment order against Guo for her non-bailable qualified trafficking case in connection with the operation of illegal POGOs.

In the decision of Presiding Judge Annielyn Medes-Cabelis, the court ordered the transfer of Guo from the Philippine National Police custodial facility in Camp Crame to the Pasig City Jail Female Dormitory. 

The court also ordered the transfer of Guo’s co-accused Walter Wong Long from the Tarlac Provincial Jail to the Pasig City Jail Male Dormitory.

“All the accused in these cases are not entitled to post bail as the charges against them are all non-bailable,” said Medes-Cabelis. - report from Zyann Ambrosio, ABS-CBN News

Court orders Guo’s transfer to Pasig jail