Senate detention facility ready for Guo, relatives

MANILA, Philippines — A dormitory-type detention facility for suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, her mother and female siblings in the Senate compound is now ready, the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) said yesterday.

OSAA head Roberto Ancan inspected the room which has three bunk beds where Guo and her family would be detained if the Senate sergeant-at-arms succeeds in serving its arrest order on the suspended mayor and her companions.

OSAA will primarily be in charge of their safety, but the Philippine National Police may be tapped for assistance.

Ancan assured the resource persons of their safety, especially of Guo, whose detention facility is beside a PNP detachment. He noted that there will be a medical team ready for their needs as well.

“Here I can assure her security 24/7. I’ve done it before. I was a commander before, and I assured the people within my area of responsibility that they are safe,” said Ancan, a retired Army officer.

Apart from Guo, the Senate has also ordered the arrest of Siemen Guo, Wesley Guo, Sheila Guo, her alleged mother Wen Yi Lin and Dennis Cunanan after they failed to appear before the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

The OSAA chief said the structure was formerly an air-conditioned daycare center, where there is water dispenser and a table.

Ancan noted that only the female relatives of Guo would be allowed to stay with her. He noted that the male resource persons would be detained in a separate room, while Guo’s former accountant, Nancy Gamo, will also stay in a different room.

The detention facility was specifically converted last year from being a daycare center in the event that the Senate needs to detain more people. Guo and her family will be the first to use the facility in case they surface. There are also detention facilities in the Senate basement.

Ancan said the facilities would be comfortable and the Senate will provide detainees with food three times a day, although they can also bring their own food.

Visiting hours would be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Guo and the others would be allowed to go outside of the detention facility for