MANILA—The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the subpoena issued by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality requiring former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to testify in its investigation.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, the SC En Banc dismissed Guo’s petition challenging the subpoena and seeking to prevent the Committee from inviting her as a resource person.

The subpoena is part of the Senate’s inquiry into illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities in Bamban, Tarlac, with Guo called to provide information relevant to the investigation.

During her initial appearance before the Committee, Guo was asked about her parents’ occupation, the late registration of her birth, her education, and her connections to certain individuals. In a subsequent hearing, her birth certificate, Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, and business records were disclosed publicly.

After missing the next two hearings, the Committee issued an arrest order against Guo and cited her in contempt.

The SC affirmed that the Senate hearings complied with the Constitution and Senate Rules of Procedure, emphasizing that Guo’s rights were not violated. The inquiry was described as a legitimate exercise of legislative power aimed at protecting public interest and enforcing the law.

The Court found that the Committee’s investigation into illegal POGO operations in Bamban was within its authority, and the questions asked were relevant and necessary. Guo was invited as a resource person, not as an accused, and the subpoena followed Senate rules. She was informed of the inquiry’s scope and retained her right against self-incrimination, which she chose not to exercise.

On privacy concerns, the SC noted that public officials have a limited expectation of privacy when their actions involve official functions or matters of national interest.

Regarding contempt, the Committee cited Guo for leaving the Philippines despite notice of the next hearing and for refusing to answer even basic questions during one of the hearings she attended. The SC affirmed that citing individuals for contempt is part of the Senate’s legislative powers.