Comelec to file charges vs Alice Guo

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Leal Guo (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to file charges against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for alleged material misrepresentation in her certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2022 national and local elections.

“The Commission resolved, as it hereby resolves, to adopt the recommendation of the Law Department to the filing of information against Respondent Alice Leal Guo/Hua Ping before the proper Regional Trial Court for violation of Section 74 in relation Section 262 of the Omnibus Election Code,” Comelec said in a resolution released to media on Tuesday.

The law department’s recommendation stems from a fact-finding investigation that showed discrepancies in Guo’s citizenship and residency declarations. 

Forensic evidence proved that Alice Guo and Hua Ping Lin Guo were the same person.

 This, according to the law department, is a violation of Section 74 and Section 262 of the Omnibus Election Code, or material misrepresentation.

 “It is clear from the evidence presented by Complainant that there is a sufficient ground to believe that Respondent committed material misrepresentation in violation of section 74 of the OEC in relation with section 262 of the same Code, when she declared in her COC that she is a Filipino citizen and a resident of Bamban, Tarlac, when in truth and in fact, she is not,” the recommendation read.

Guo is facing complaints for graft, qualified human trafficking, money laundering, and tax evasion and is likewise being investigated by Congress over her alleged links to Pogo.

She is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail Female Dormitory, following her arrest in Jakarta, Indonesia where she fled to last July.

Guo’s counsel previously announced that the dismissed mayor intends to run for reelection even amid these charges.

On Tuesday, however, Guo herself retracted the announcement.