The National People’s Coalition has ordered the removal of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo from the roster of its members amid allegations linking her with an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub in her town.
In a letter dated June 22, NPC chairman and former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III made the order after receiving a petition from Tarlac Gov. Susan Yap last June 17.
“The NPC will not tolerate any unlawful acts or any appearance of impropriety by its members that will undermine the principle of our party,” the letter from Sotto reads.
“In this regard, after due consultation with the leaders and members of our party and considering the gravity of charges and ongoing investigations against Mayor Guo, I hereby order the removal of Mayor Alice Guo from the roster of members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition,” he further said.
“In view thereof, I will be directing our Secretary General, Sec. Mark Landro Mendoza to implement the said order and immediately inform Mayor Guo of her removal from the party,” it added.
Based on reports, the Office of the Ombudsman had ordered the suspension of Guo following several administrative complaints, which stemmed from graft complaints filed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Aside from this, the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission also filed a qualified human trafficking case against Guo for her alleged connection to labor trafficking of around 500 foreign Pogo workers.
