Philippine Senate orders arrest of mayor probed for alleged Chinese crime ties
13/7/2024 15:07
The Philippine Senate has ordered the arrest of a small-town mayor after she refused to appear at hearings investigating her alleged ties with Chinese criminal syndicates, a case that has captivated the nation amid tensions between Manila and Beijing. The arrest order, signed by the Senate president on Friday and to be carried out by the Senate's sergeant-at-arms, came after the mayor, Alice Guo, failed to appear for a second consecutive hearing on Wednesday, citing stress. The Senate investigation began in May after authorities raided a casino in Guo's sleepy farming town of Bamban in March, uncovering what the authorities said were scams being perpetrated from a facility built on land partially owned by the mayor. Guo's lawyer, Stephen David, said on Saturday the mayor was incapable of attending the hearings because of her "physical and mental health condition" owing to "massive cyber bullying and humiliation". "Hopefully, when her condition will improve, we will see her again during hearings," David said. Senator Risa Hontiveros, who is leading the investigation, said on Saturday the arrest order against Guo is the first step in making her "accountable to our laws".
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