Bamban Mayor Alice Guo seeks lifting of preventive suspension
MANILA, Philippines – Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, who has been suspended, filed a motion with the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday to request the lifting of the preventive suspension imposed on her.
In the motion for reconsideration, Guo described the accusations against her as an “amalgam of exceedingly distorted, exaggerated, and fabricated stories.” She claimed that the accusations were designed to make her appear guilty of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Guo, along with Municipal Business Permits and Licensing Officer Edwin Ocampo and Municipal Legal Officer Adenn Sigua, were ordered to be suspended for six months pending an ongoing investigation. The complaint against them centers on the issuance of a business permit allowing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to operate in Bamban.
Earlier this year, a POGO hub in Bamban was raided, resulting in the rescue of hundreds of foreign workers. Guo came under investigation after an electric meter registered under her name was found at the facility, along with a vehicle registered in her name.
In defense of Guo’s actions, her lawyer Stephen David stated, “Why won’t she issue a mayor’s permit if the applicant is compliant? Because we have the Anti-Red Tape Act and the Ease of Doing Business. If you don’t issue a mayor’s permit, you are the one who will be charged.”
Regarding Guo’s lifestyle, the motion for reconsideration noted that she legally acquired more than seven hectares of land when she was a private citizen.
The request for the lifting of the preventive suspension comes as Guo continues to face scrutiny over her alleged ties to Chinese criminals and POGO operations in her area.
