Nicholas Felix L. Ty, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Philippines, stated that they will file the case in the Gabas Regional Court of Danleng Province next week.
Deputy Minister Ty mentioned that the decision to authorize the case was reached after a preliminary investigation by a panel of prosecutors.
Alice Guo and several co-defendants did not participate in the preliminary investigation. Subsequently, Guo submitted a rebuttal testimony, which was notarized on August 14 in Xianfu Xilimont City, Wuluogan Province.
Since it was discovered that Guo had left the Philippines in July, the prosecutors have expressed doubts about the authenticity of the rebuttal testimony. She was arrested in Indonesia and was deported back to the Philippines on September 6.
Deputy Minister Ty said, "This indicates that there is preliminary evidence or reasonable certainty that the charges of human trafficking against President Guo and other defendants will be convicted in court."
Deputy Minister Ty, who is in charge of the Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking at the Ministry of Justice, stated: "We will file the case in court next week."
Francis Tolentino, the Senate Majority Leader, stated on Friday (September 13) that the case of former Banban Mayor Alice Guo has been transferred from Gabas City, Danleng Province to the regional court in Mirrenrui City, Damin District.
Tolentino noted that Guo's case was improperly submitted to the court in Gabas, which is under the same regional jurisdiction as Banban. He pointed out that Guo, having been a mayor, might have influence locally. He advocated that the case should be submitted to the district court in Mirrenrui City, which is considered relatively fair.
Tolentino expressed in an X post: "I want to thank the 109th division of the Gabas Regional Court of Danleng Province for transferring Alice Guo's case to the Mirrenrui City District Court."
Guo was originally scheduled to be tried on Friday afternoon in Danleng Province, but the trial was canceled by the Gabas court, which agreed with Tolentino's position that they lacked jurisdiction.
He said: "The case should be filed in the appropriate district court, so everything is legal and without loopholes."
In a radio interview, Tolentino mentioned that the case files and records are currently being transferred from Danleng Province to Mirrenrui.
Tolentino said: "The trial procedures will be conducted by the Mirrenrui District Court, therefore, the trial may take place next week."
