Bamban, Tarlac mayor may face perjury raps over citizenship issue

MANILA, Philippines —  Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo may face perjury charges should her alleged foreign roots be proven to be true, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman chief George Garcia said Monday.

“Kung mapapatunayan na hindi naman pala talaga siya Filipino citizen siya ay pwedeng maging liable o makasuhan ng perjury sapagka’t pinanumpaan niya po ‘yung mismong Certificate of Candidacy (COC),” said Garcia in an ambush interview at the Senate.

(If it is proven that she is not a Filipino citizen, she can be liable or be charged with perjury because she swore on the COC.)

Garcia, however, said that Guo’s candidacy as mayor of Bamban has yet to be contested before the poll body.

“Sa kalagayan po ng naturang personalidad sa verification namin wala pong nag file ng disqualification sa kaniya bilang isang kandidato,” Garcia said.

(No one has filed a disqualification case against her as a candidate.)

“In fact noong nag parehistro siya noong April 2021, wala pong ni-isang nag-oppose sa kaniyang registration kung kaya ito ay na-approve ng Election Registration Board,” he added.

(In fact when she registered in April 2021, no one opposed it, so it was approved by the Election Registration Board.)

Garcia said that under the law, only Filipino citizens may run for public office.

Garcia explained that the Comelec does not require a candidate any other requirements to prove their age or citizenship, apart from their sworn oath upon filing their COC.

Additionally, with only being imbued with ministerial powers, the Comelec cannot deny a candidates’ COC without a disqualification or cancellation case filed by a registered voter.

Guo’s case surfaced after alleged her alleged ties to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) raided by authorities in early March for charges of alleged human trafficking and serious illegal detention, which she denied.

Senator Risa Hontiveros also sounded off the alarm on the possibility that Guo, may even be a Chinese “asset” trained to infiltrate and influence the Philippine government.