The Commission on Elections is currently reviewing the possible filing of an election offense case against suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo. Comelec Chairperson George Garcia disclosed in an interview with media on Monday that the poll body’s law department has been tasked to examine the evidence that may be used as grounds for the complaint against Guo.
Garcia mentioned that the Comelec is monitoring the ongoing inquiry of the Senate women committee into Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) and the Office of the Solicitor General’s intention to file a quo warranto petition against Guo. He stated that the petition for quo warranto could provide a basis to determine if Guo misrepresented information in her certificate of candidacy during the 2022 elections.
The Comelec chief emphasized that even if the offense occurred in 2022, it is within their jurisdiction to pursue a case as the period of five years has not lapsed. He also highlighted that evading administrative consequences does not absolve one from criminal liability.
Guo has consistently asserted to have been born in Tarlac City, Tarlac, the birthplace she indicated on her certificate of candidacy. However, recent findings from the National Bureau of Investigation revealed that Guo’s fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national named “Guo Hua Ping” who entered the Philippines at the age of 13.
Senator Risa Hontiveros regarded the NBI’s confirmation of the fingerprint match as substantial evidence to potentially oust Guo from her position. The Philippine Statistics Authority has additionally recommended the cancellation of Guo’s birth certificate due to irregularities uncovered during Senate hearings, such as incorrect details regarding her parents’ nationalities.
