Comelec OKs filing of complaint vs Alice Guo for misrepresentation

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has allowed its Law Department to file a formal complaint against suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for alleged misrepresentation in her candidacy in the 2022 local elections, said Comelec Chairman George Garcia on Tuesday.

In an ambush interview, Garcia noted that Comelec en banc decided unanimously on the previous recommendation of its Law Department to file a misrepresentation case against Guo.

READ: Comelec law dep’t recommends raps vs Alice Guo for misrepresentation

“In-adopt po ng Comelec en banc unanimous, ibig sabihin lahat po kami, ‘yong recommendation ng aming Law Department na magfile ng formal complaint laban kay Mayor Alice Guo slash Guo Hua Ping and therefore pinapasimulan po ang pagcoconduct ng preliminary investigation patungo sa kanya,” said Garcia.

(Comelec en banc unanimously adopted the recommendation of our Law Department to file a formal complaint against Mayor Alice Guo slash Guo Hua Ping and therefore, we will start conducting a preliminary investigation.)

“Misrepresentation po, sa ating Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code. ‘Yan po ay isang kasong kriminal na may kulong na isa hanggang anim na taon na kung sakali pong mapapatunayan na mayroon pong basehan, may kwenta, at ebidensya, may tinatatawag na probable cause. Ang kaso po ay maaaring maisampa sa Regional Trial Court upang magkaroon ng paglilitis,” Garcia added.

(Misrepresentation, under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code. It is a criminal case that when proven true with evidence and probable cause, can be penalized with one to six years of imprisonment. The case can also be brought to the Regional Trial Court for due process.)

According to Garcia, the Law Department can issue a subpoena against Guo to face the allegations that she committed misrepresentation in the 2022 local elections when she filed her candidacy. He added that while Guo has the liberty whether or not to face the accusations towards her, her non-appearance may delay the operations of Comelec.

In June, the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the fingerprints of Mayor Alice Guo and Chinese citizen Guo Hua Ping matched. Only natural-born Filipinos or foreign nationals who became naturalized Filipino citizens are allowed by Comelec to file candidacy in the local elections.

READ: Mayor Alice Guo is also Chinese woman Guo Hua Ping, NBI confirms

The citizenship of Guo was questioned by Senator Risa Hontiveros where her birth was registered late in 2013, 17 years after she was supposedly born in 1986. She is also under investigation over her alleged ties with illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.