Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo will remain under the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) until the legal issues surrounding her graft case are resolved, according to Senator Risa Hontiveros. The case was filed before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Capas, Tarlac.
Senator Hontiveros indicated that the Senate committee will write to the presiding judge and the Office of the Ombudsman for clarity on the situation. "Until this legal issue is decided, we will respect the Judiciary," Hontiveros said.
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino argued that Guo's case should not have been filed in Capas, citing Republic Act 10660, which requires cases involving municipal officials to be filed outside the judicial region where they hold office. He suggested that the case should have been filed in Valenzuela City.
The Department of Justice also raised concerns about the proper venue for the case, with DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty saying, "On paper, it seems contrary to the law." However, the Office of the Ombudsman filed the case in Capas, Tarlac, because Guo was no longer an official when the case was filed.
Guo was arrested in Indonesia last week under an arrest warrant issued by the Senate, but was later brought to the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame after her return to the Philippines.
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