Press Release - Senate media interview of Senator Win Gatchalian on the apprehension of Sheila Guo and Cassandra Ong

Q: Update on Sheila Guo...Is she going to be brought here today or anytime during the long weekend or will the law enforcement agencies keep her then just bring her to a hearing next week?

SEN. WIN: Marami kasing mga agencies and institutions. Kailangan nila gawin muna yung mga procedural mandates nila. So to avoid conflict, the Senate coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration, with the DOJ, as well as the House of Representatives because may outstanding arrest order rin ang House.

So parang hindi naman magkaroon ng tug-of-war doon sa presence ng dalawang individuals. Nagkaroon na ng agreement na ipa-process muna ng Bureau of Immigration. We will give them time to do their mandatory procedures. And then ang DOJ rin because this is in light of the cases that were filed against Alice Guo and the other individuals, including potentially si Cassandra Ong. Then after them, Senate na ang mag-take custody because meron tayong hearing on Tuesday. So on target is Tuesday. These two individuals will attend the hearing. So inaasahan namin over the long weekend, all of these mandatory procedures will be completed by the government agencies.

Q: So it won't be earlier than Tuesday bago sila dalhin dito sa Senate?

SEN. WIN: As far as I know, yes. So inaayos na nila yung kanilang mga kailangan gawin. It's a holiday. So they're trying to...To finish everything hopefully before Tuesday para pagdating ng hearing, the Senate can take custody of the two individuals.

Q: Tapos doon, after the hearing, si Sheila Guo, since she's the one with the warrant from the Senate, dito na siya i-detain?

SEN. WIN: Yes. Dito na siya i-detain. Actually, si Cassandra rin mayroong warrant eh. If you look at the transcript, nag-move ako to cite her in contempt. Because dalawang beses nag-issue ng subpoenana and obviously nagtatago siya so hindi ma-serve-serve yung subpoena. And then, the chairperson, si Sen. Riza, issued a letter, I think about yesterday or I think yesterday morning, to already rule on that citation. So mayroong citation for contempt and then procedurally, dapat ang Senado may custody rin kay Cassandra Ong.

Q: Okay. My second question, sir. Now that Sheila and Cassandra are back, ano