The legal team of Alice Guo, the former mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, has requested a Manila court to dismiss a quo warranto petition aiming to remove her from office, according to Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra. This petition, filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in late July, claims Guo was ineligible for public office from the start.
Guevarra explained that the motion to dismiss the petition was presented to the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34 on August 30 and is currently awaiting a decision. If the motion is rejected, Guo will need to formally respond to the petition, which could then lead to court hearings and a subsequent judgment.
The Office of the Ombudsman had previously dismissed Guo and permanently banned her from holding public office, citing her involvement in a raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub as evidence of a “willful intent to violate the law.”
Guevarra highlighted that the OSG’s petition and the Ombudsman’s dismissal represent a “double-barrel approach,” targeting both Guo’s eligibility and alleged illegal conduct while in office. He noted that both cases could result in Guo being permanently barred from holding any public office.
Additionally, a separate hearing regarding the cancellation of Guo’s birth certificate is scheduled for September 18 at the Tarlac City Regional Trial Court. The cancellation could undermine a key defense about her identity. Guo is also facing separate legal challenges, including human trafficking and money laundering complaints related to the POGO hub.
Guo has denied all allegations against her. GMA News Online has reached out to her camp for comments but has not received a response yet.