Dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo to seek reelection

MANILA – Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo has decided to pursue her candidacy for her former post, her lawyer said Friday.

Lawyer Stephen David made the pronouncement in an ambush interview at the Department of Justice during the start of the preliminary investigation on charges of money laundering filed against Guo and 35 others.

"Syempre para ipakita pagmamahal nya sa taong bayan, sa baya, most especially sa Bamban. Ang taong bayan dapat ang humatol kung sya ba ay karapat-dapat manungkulan sa kanilang lugar (It's to show her love to her constituents. The people of Bamban should be the one to judge who will rightfully govern in their area)," David said.

The defense counsel said the case questioning Guo's qualifications remains pending before the courts.

David claimed the decision of the Ombudsman perpetually disqualifying Guo from public office also remains pending.

"Kasi yung nangyayari, technicalities. Hindi siya pinapatakbo, pinapa-disqualify siya pero hindi naman final pa yun (What is happening is just technicalities. She is barred from running, being disqualified, but that is not yet final). But definitely she will be running for mayor," David said.

"Mahabang proseso yun (It's a long process). She is a Filipino. She is a Filipina. So, wala namang decisions on courts as of now na hindi siya Pilipino (There are no court decisions yet that she is not a Filipino)."

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a quo warranto petition against Guo before a Manila court, which may result in her removal from office.

It also filed a petition to cancel the former mayor's birth certificate before a Tarlac court.

Meanwhile, Guo was a "no show" at the preliminary investigation.

David said orders from the proper authorities had not been served in time for their client to appear before the DOJ.

"Hindi nakarating yung order sa proper authorities. Hindi sya mailalabas kung walang order, so inayos natin yon para sa next hearing, makaka-attend sya (The order from the proper authorities did not arrive in time. She could not be moved out of detention for the hearing without an order. We are fixing it so she can attend the next hearing)," he said.

Guo's purported sibling, Shiela was likewise unable to attend due to a conflicting hearing schedule at the Board of Special Inquiry (BSI) of the Bureau of Immigration on her possible deportation.

Cassandra Li Ong, the authorized representative of another raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga was present in the proceedings.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it would accept Guo's candidacy "for now" stressing that its duty is purely ministerial.

"Kapag ang kandidato ay humaharap sa isang kaso, hanggang walang final judgement or conviction, siya po ay makakatakbo sa ating election. Ibig sabihin, kailangan pa din may mag-file ng petition upang kwestyunin ang pagtakbo ng isang kandidato. (If a candidate is facing charges, as long as there is no final judgment or conviction, he or she can still run in the elections. It means somebody has to file a petition to question his/her candidacy," Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in a radio interview Friday.

However, Guo may be barred from joining the mayoralty race since the ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman ordered her perpetual disqualification from holding public office, the poll body chief said.

Garcia said Guo may be allowed to run in the polls if the court would issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the decision of the Ombudsman.

"In the meantime, ang Comelec ay tatalima agad sa desisyon ng Office of the Ombudsman bilang pagkilala sa kapangyarihan ng opisina na ito. Kailangan makakuha sila agad ng TRO bago pa man filing ng COC. At dapat manggaling yan sa isang hukuman na may apela sa decision, sa Court of Appeals po yan (The Comelec would comply with the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman in recognition of its power. They should secure a TRO before the filing of the COC. It should come from an appellate court – the Court of Appeals for that matter)," he added. (PNA)