Guo stated the perjury and falsification charges filed against her should be dismissed.
The Philippines.- Alice Guo, the suspended mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, has asked prosecutors to dismiss perjury and falsification charges filed against her. The charges stem from allegations that Guo signed and submitted a counter-affidavit related to a human trafficking case lodged against her in her alleged involvement in illegal operations of offshore gaming operators.
At a recent hearing at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Guo’s attorney, Stephen David, argued that Guo signed the document before her departure and had no role in any falsification. Lawyer Elmer Galicia notarised the counter-affidavit on August 14 while Guo reportedly left the Philippines on July 18. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has asserted that Guo could not have personally appeared before the notary. David suggested that the notary should be questioned regarding any discrepancies, emphasising that Guo signed the document and did not intend to deceive or falsify.
David stated: “She was the one who signed it. That was pre-signed. I don’t see any falsification there because she was the one who signed. Now, as to the one who notarized it, we should ask him.”
Guo said she was unaware of any potential procedural errors by the notary and should not be held responsible for their actions. She contends that the NBI’s allegations are not backed by substantial evidence and are intended to “vex, annoy, and harass” her.
The counter-affidavit read: “I did not falsify any document. Neither did I use my influence nor take advantage of my position as in this case, I am an ordinary private person who has no knowledge of the rules of notary public. As a private ordinary individual, it is improper and unfair to assume that I know of the duties and processes to be adopted by a notary public.”
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has filed charges against Alice Guo accusing her of misrepresenting her citizenship status on her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the May 2022 elections. The electoral body has accused Guo of breaching Section 74 of the Omnibus Election Code.
Comelec found inconsistencies between Guos’ COC and a NBI Alien Fingerprint Card, which reportedly shows her name as Hua Ping Lin Guo, her citizenship as Chinese and her place of residence as Fujian, China. In her COC, Guo said she was born in Tarlac and had resided in the Philippines for 35 years and two months, with 18 years and two months spent in Bamban, Tarlac, before the 2022 elections.
Comelec said it was clear from the evidence that there is “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”. An election offence carries a penalty of imprisonment for one to six years, disqualification from holding public office, and revocation of the right to vote.
In October, Alice Guo’s attorney Stephen David suggested that Guo would be a candidate in next year’s mayoral elections. The news sparked criticism from several politicians who called for Guo to be disqualified from seeking public office.
