Amid preventive suspension, Mayor Guo set to appeal

MANILA, Philippines — Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac will file a motion for consideration amid the preventive suspension issued by the Office of the Ombudsman against her.

In an interview over dzRH, Guo’s legal counsel Stephen David maintained the mayor was innocent.

“We will file a motion for consideration… to lift the suspension. I believe in the integrity of the ombudsman that’s why once we file (the appeal), I am sure the ombudsman will see the merit of the defense,” David said.

He denied that Guo was among the incorporators of Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) firm Zun Yuan Technology Inc.

“It was established that she is not an incorporator. She has no POGO operation. She was the former owner of the lot. Before the election, she already divested her ownership in the land. There were 40 buildings (inside the hub) and the POGO only rented a three-story building. She has no participation in the POGO operation,” David said.

He said it is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. that regulates POGOs and that there was also an undertaking from the operator that its permanent license was being processed by PAGCOR.

“It has a provisional license, meaning there was an implied approval from Pagcor. Mayor cannot do something as it was already raided,” he said.

David said the camp of Guo will file the appeal on Thursday.

The lawyer maintained that Guo is a Filipino amid calls for her to undergo a DNA test to prove her citizenship, and that it is up to the accusers to prove that Guo is not a Filipino. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Bella Cariaso, Louise Maureen Simeon