The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Sunday it will proceed with its motu proprio complaint against former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for material misrepresentation even after the dismissal order from the Ombudsman.
Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Comelec chairman George Garcia emphasized that the Ombudsman’s decision has no effect on the Comelec’s case against Guo.
“Tuloy na tuloy po [ang kaso] sapagkat wala pong epekto sa amin ang desisyon ng ating Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.
(The case will proceed because the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman has no effect on us.)
“Ang Office of the Ombudsman sabi niya perpetually disqualified, tama po ‘yun. Pero sa amin, lahat ng kandidatong na magsisinungaling sa certificate of candidacy o tinatawag natin na misrepresentation, ay kinakailangang humarap sa kasong kriminal,” he added.
(The Office of the Ombudsman said Guo is perpetually disqualified, that’s right. But for us, all candidates who lie on their certificate of candidacy or what we call misrepresentation, will have to face criminal charges.)
Earlier this month, the Comelec en banc approved the recommendation of its law department to file a motu proprio complaint against Guo for material misrepresentation.
Garcia had said the embattled mayor will be given the chance to explain her side.
“Hinihintay na namin ang kanyang magiging sagot sampung araw matapos namin mai-serve ang tinatawag natin na subpoena. Again, hindi ito hihinto dahil lang sa desisyon ng ibang korte o ibang opisina,” the poll chairman said.
(We are waiting for her answer 10 days after we served the subpoena. Again, this will not stop just because of the decision of another court or another office.)
Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Guo for grave misconduct. She was dismissed from service with forfeiture of all her retirement benefits as well as perpetual disqualification from public office.
According to the Ombudsman, Guo’s acts such as her involvement in the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in her locality showed a “willful intent on her part to violate the law or disregard established rules.”
“The series of acts are interconnected leaving no other conclusion than that they were committed by Guo with ulterior motive or self-interest,” the decision said.
The same day, the Comelec also served a subpoena against Guo in relation to the material misrepresentation complaint filed against her.
Aside from this, Guo is also facing a human trafficking complaint in relation to the raided POGO hub before the Department of Justice (DOJ). She was referred to as “a.k.a Guo Hua Ping” in the complaint.
The former mayor, in return, has asked the DOJ to dismiss the qualified human trafficking complaint filed against her, arguing that the complainants failed to establish her participation in the crime. —RF, GMA Integrated News
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