TARLAC, Philippines – Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo said on Tuesday, October 8, that she is not running for reelection in 2025.
Guo said this at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 elections, when Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked her about reports citing her lawyer, Stephen David, that she would run for mayor next year.
“Your honor, sa ngayon, hindi po (as of now, no),” Guo said.
Asked what made her change her mind, Guo said, “Haharapin ko po muna ang mga accusations sa akin, lillinisin ko muna ‘yung sarili ko po para maging fair sa mga constituents ko po na minamahal ko po.”
(I will first face the accusations against me, I will clean up my [name] first to be fair to my beloved constituents.)
At around the same time, Guo’s lawyer released her lengthy statement relaying the same message to her former constituents. “Nais ko pong hingin ang panahon na ito upang maisaayos at maipagtanggol ang aking sarili laban sa mga kaso at akusasyon na ibinabato sa akin,” Guo said.
(I would like to use this time to prepare and defend myself against the charges and accusations that are being thrown at me.)
Before making her decision, Guo was reportedly eyeing either reelection or running for Pampanga 3rd District representative.
Acting Bamban Mayor Erdy Timbang, who filed his COC on Monday, October 7, is running for mayor. Timbang, a councilor, will complete his term as acting mayor in November, when suspended Vice Mayor Ding Anunciacion is able to assume Guo’s post.
Anunciacion was suspended along with eight councilors for approving the letter of no objection for the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) companies located behind the town’s municipal hall, on a property that Guo used to co-own.
Guo won the 2022 mayoral race by 468 votes over her closest rival, former barangay captain Joey Salting.
Cases upon cases
The Department of Foreign Affairs has canceled Guo’s Philippine passport after receiving a certification from the National Bureau of Investigation indicating that Guo’s biometrics matched those of Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national.
The Ombudsman has dismissed Guo from service, while the Solicitor General has initiated a separate case to challenge her right to hold public office. The Comelec is suing her for misrepresentation.
In a recent media interview, David said the courts have yet to determine Guo’s citizenship.
“Maka-cancel ba ‘yun? She’s a Filipino, she’s a Filipina, so wala namang decisions ang courts as of now na hindi siya Filipino,” David said. “Kasi right now, maraming negative publicity. Marami rin nagsi-sympathize. Marami rin naman siyang nagawang mabuti sa Bamban. Marami pa rin nagmamahal sa kanya.”
(Is it going to be canceled? She’s a Filipino, she’s a Filipina. The courts have yet to decide that she is not a Filipino. It’s just that right now there are a lot of negative publicity. There are also a lot who sympathize with her. She also did a lot of good things in Bamban. A lot of people still love her.)
Guo is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail over charges of human trafficking in relation to her involvement in two POGOs: Hongsheng Gaming Incorporated and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated, located in the raided Baofu compound in Bamban. She is also facing several other cases including graft, tax evasion, and money laundering.
Will there be another Alice Guo?
Senator Risa Hontiveros had earlier expressed concern about the possibility of another foreign citizen such as Guo running for public office and getting elected. Hontiveros also stressed the threat posed by POGO syndicates who are willing to fund political campaigns for candidates who can protect their interests.
“I certainly hope that there will not be another Alice Guo running for public office in 2025. This is a big insult to our institutions that there is a foreign national who became a mayor of a town in the Philippines. This should not happen again,” Hontiveros said in her Facebook post.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia cited the Supreme Court stating that their duty is “purely ministerial.” He acknowledged that situations similar to Guo’s case could occur again unless the law is amended.
“We do not have the discretion to refuse, to analyze, to look at the person and ask him for some documents. Our rule is merely to accept the COC — nothing more, nothing less,” Garcia said in an episode of Ask Your Comelec on Rappler.
“It is going to happen, and it will happen, until and unless the law is amended,” he said.
Garcia said if no individuals or voters file opposition or petition to disqualify a candidate, a case similar to Guo could happen again.
For the first time, the Comelec will publish all COCs of all candidates including their name, age, citizenship, residency, registration as a voter, and literacy on their website. – Rappler.com
