Senators outraged by Guo’s election bid

SENATORS expressed outrage Saturday over the possibility that ousted Mayor Alice Guo could seek re-election next year, despite having been stripped of her title and charged with serious crimes, including trafficking of human beings.

“It seems that Alice Guo has not stopped defrauding the people, even though she is in prison,” Senator Risa Hontiveros said after learning that Guo, aka Guo Hua Ping, might run for office.

“If Guo Hua Ping (Alice Guo) completes her Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) and falsely declares herself a Filipino citizen, she would be committing an act of misrepresentation,” Hontiveros said in Filipino.

Bamban removed Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo from office. (PHOTO: MIKE ALQUINTO)

She said the CoC is an essential document signed under oath.

“If Guo Hua Ping continues to lie, perjury would be added to the litany of crimes in which she has been implicated,” Hontiveros said.

On Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that it had canceled Guo’s Philippine passport after investigations showed it was “fraudulently acquired.”

Based on the August 24 National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) certification, the DFA said Guo’s biometric data in the agency’s passport database matched that of “Guo Hua Ping,” a Chinese national. The cancellation took effect on September 30.

“The DFA is committed to maintaining the security and integrity of the issuance of Philippine passports and assures the public that fraudulent passport applications and acquisitions will be referred to law enforcement for investigation and prosecution,” the DFA said in a press release.

But Guo’s lawyer, Stephen David, confirmed that the ousted mayor plans to file her CoC for the 2025 elections.

“She will show up,” David said in a television interview, adding that their legal team was preparing the required documents. “Why don’t we let people decide if they still want it?”

Three senators acknowledged that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is “forced” to accept Guo’s CoC. They nevertheless reminded the electoral body of its duty to prevent foreigners posing as Filipinos from joining the country’s electoral process.

Senate President pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada said the Comelec must ensure that every candidate participating in the 2025 midterm elections meets the requirements for candidates for elected office.

“The electoral body must ensure that no voter is deceived by candidates lacking qualifications,” Estrada said.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, a lawyer, agreed that Guo could still be allowed to run since her criminal cases, including the question of her citizenship, were still pending in court.

“However, the existing criminal cases against Guo can be used as a political argument against her during the campaign,” Pimentel said.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Guo’s plan to run for public office is another brazen attempt to undermine the country’s laws.

“I strongly urge the Comelec to immediately implement legal measures to prevent him from running for public office,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

Sen. Joel Villanueva noted that the Comelec already filed a misrepresentation complaint against Guo for his 2022 run for public office.

“It would be ridiculous if she was even allowed to run again,” he told reporters in a Viber message on Friday.

Faced with the remarks, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the election body would follow the ombudsman’s decision in the case of Guo, who was barred from holding any public office.

“Comelec will always implement and execute the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman. It is an act of respect to the office, and this is what Republic Act 6770 provides,” Garcia said.

He said the Ombudsman’s decision is immediately enforceable.

But Garcia said if Guo filed his CoC, the Comelec would accept it and then cancel it.

“The Comelec will accept the CoC of Alice Guo; we will accept the CoC of anyone in a similar situation,” Garcia said.

He said there are three grounds for setting aside a CoC: declaration as a harmful candidate; filing a petition to quash the CoC based on age, citizenship, and voter registration, among others; and a decision by the Ombudsman perpetually disqualifying the candidate.

As per Comelec rules, Guo can file his CoC through a representative.

Guo is being held on various charges.

In August, Guo was removed from his position by the Ombudsman for serious abuse of discretion over the operations of a Philippine offshore gaming operator or POGO hub in Tarlac.

Also Saturday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said state prosecutors would do everything possible to prosecute Guo in the case described as human trafficking filed against her following the revocation of her passport by the DFA.

The new Philippine passport law allows passport revocation if it is proven that the document was acquired through fraudulent means or issued in error.

The cancellation of Guo’s passport is a clear application of this law.

Remulla said this was an important step toward discovering the truth and seeking justice.

“This action by the DFA has paved the way for the pursuit of justice. The cancellation of Guo’s passport is not only symbolic; it marks the beginning of our determined efforts to hold her accountable,” he said .

Remulla assured the public and the DFA that the DoJ would leave no stone unturned to ensure the successful prosecution of Guo.

“Rest assured, your efforts will not be in vain. We are fully prepared to move this case forward and ensure that justice is served,” Remulla promised.

The Justice Department also raised concerns that Guo might flee the country, given his previous international trips to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia earlier this year.

In July, Guo was arrested in Indonesia, sparking concern about her ability to evade prosecution in the Philippines.

The DoJ said this made passport revocation an essential measure to prevent further attempts to evade justice.

Remulla said the DoJ remains steadfast in its position that these charges will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

He said that as this high-profile case continues to unfold, it highlights the government’s commitment to combating human trafficking and maintaining the integrity of legal documents such as passports.

The collaboration between the DoJ, DFA, NBI and other relevant agencies demonstrates a unified approach to combating criminal activity and holding perpetrators accountable, Remulla said.