Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay's name was mentioned during the Senate hearing on Monday regarding the inquiry into the dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
During the Senate hearing on Monday, Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality Chairperson Senator Risa Hontiveros asked Guo about her relationship status with Calugay.
Guo responded, saying, "Madam Chair kakilala at kaibigan po."
When asked if she had informed Calugay about her trip abroad and his role in her successful escape last July, Guo denied the claim, noting that they hadn't spoken for a long time.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada then took over the questioning and reminded Guo of earlier hearings where he asked if she had a relationship with a politician. Estrada alleged that Calugay was Guo's boyfriend and implicated him in the raid on an illegal POGO operation in Bamban.
"'Di ba ang tanong ko sa'yo, mayroon kang karelasyon na Mayor sa Norte, specifically - actually hindi ko naman binanggit 'yung pangalan ng bayan at pangalan ng mayor nung last hearing mo rito, pero ngayon it's an open secret na ang mayor ng Sual na si Mayor Dong Calugay ang karelasyon mo at itong mayor na ito ay kasosyo mo, nagpapatakbo ng POGO mo sa Bamban," said Estrada.
Guo refuted these claims, asserting that she had no connection with the POGO operation and denied any relationship with Mayor Calugay, emphasizing that they only know each other.
Estrada then asked if Calugay had any role in her escape, which Guo denied.
The Senator couldn't hold back and presented pictures of Guo with Calugay, including images of Calugay wearing a shirt with Guo's name, a picture of them at a Mass Wedding in Sual, and Calugay giving Guo a bouquet of flowers.
"Ngayon, inaamin mo ba na wala kayong relasyon?" Estrada asked after showing the photos.
Guo responded, "Hindi po tama yung term na 'amin' po dahil wala naman po talaga kaming relasyon po."
Shiela Guo's ID from Sual
Cheryl Ordonia Medina, a staff member of Calugay for almost five years, was present at the hearing and responded to the Senate's inquiries.
Hontiveros inquired about an ID of Shiela Guo, which allegedly came from the municipality of Sual and was purportedly an account insurance membership.
Medina stated that they do not issue such IDs in their office.
"Nalaman ko na po ito, nakita ko na po ito sa dyaryo sa balita. Nagtanong po rin ako kung mayroon po kaming ganoong ID, pero wala po kaming na-issue na ganyang ID," said Medina.
Hontiveros expressed surprise, noting that the ID bore Calugay's signature.
Additionally, Hontiveros asked Medina if she had been tasked with assisting in the notarization of Guo's counter-affidavit, but Medina denied this claim.
Alisel Aqua Farm in Sual
The Senate also presented a business permit during the hearing for Alisel Aqua Farm, which Estrada claimed was a combination of the two mayors' names.
"If you combine the name Alisel, Ali stands for Alice and Sel stands for Liseldo, 'di ba? Baka nagkataon lang? Ano, are you aware of that?" Estrada joked.
Guo, however, stated that she does not own an aqua farm in Sual and that no aqua farm business has been retained.
The DTI permit indicated that the Aqua Farm is under the ownership of Shiela Guo.
In light of this, Senator Villanueva recalled Shiela Guo's earlier statements, where she said that Alice Guo was the one who asked her to sign the business permit.
"I don't think Shiela Guo denied it. She was just saying that she doesn't know anything about it because she was asked by Guo Hua Ping, aka Alice Guo, to sign these documents," said Villanueva.
Estrada asked for Guo's confirmation on the claim, but Guo said she couldn't recall if the proposal had even proceeded.
