Bamban, Tarlac City Mayor Alice Guo speaks during the resumption of the Senate probe into a POGO hub in Tarlac province on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (File photo from NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The camp of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo may file counter-charges against persons who publicized legal documents about her, said her legal counsel on Wednesday.
Guo’s lawyer, Atty. Stephen David, made the pronouncement after urging lawmakers to take allegations against the mayor to court.
He cited how they immediately made public several of Guo’s documents, including her statement of assets and liabilities and net worth (SALNs) and her birth certificate.
David noted these actions constitute violations of the Data Privacy Act, which “protects the privacy of individuals while ensuring free flow of information to promote innovation and growth.”
“Syempre, hindi kami kumikilos diyan dahil defense mode kami. Pero kung talagang patuloy ang pagtapak sa karapatan niya bilang isang private individual … we’re contemplating na rin na magsampa kami ng counter-charges,” said David in an interview over Radyo 630.
(Of course, we are not acting on that because we are in defense mode. But if her rights as a private individual really continue to be trampled on… we’re also contemplating filing counter-charges.)
When asked who they would file the counter-charges against, David responded that it would be against “whoever is responsible for spreading” Guo’s data.
“Though it is not for me to decide, I will always defer to the decision of the client, as a lawyer,” he clarified.
Guo’s camp on Tuesday asserted her innocence directly to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and denied all allegations hurled against her.
READ: Guo tells Bersamin: Accusations against me totally baseless
According to Guo in her letter, all allegations against her were “baseless” and were mere “conspiracy theories.”