Photo credit: Mayor Alice Guo

Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman George Garcia revealed that their Legal Department and fact-finding panel have recommended filing a formal complaint against suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. The basis for this action is alleged misrepresentation.

Chairman Garcia explained, "Our legal department's findings, supported by our fact-finding panel, suggest filing a formal complaint against Mayor Guo for misrepresentation. Our experts have confirmed that the fingerprints taken from an NBI clearance and an alien certificate of registration under the name Guo Hua Ping, as well as those of Alice Guo who registered as a voter in Bamban, Tarlac, are from the same individual."

He continued, "Given that Guo Hua Ping is identified as a Chinese national, the presumption is that Alice Guo misrepresented herself as a Filipino. This raises serious legal concerns. As per our law department and panel, this misrepresentation means she is not a Filipino citizen, which warrants a criminal case against her."

The COMELEC’s investigation uncovered that Alice Guo voted in the 2024 national and local elections, as well as in the 2023 Barangay and SK elections, under the pretense of being a Filipino citizen. This discovery has led to the conclusion that her eligibility and actions as an elected official may have been based on false information.

As the case progresses, the COMELEC's next steps will be closely watched, as they could set a precedent for how such issues are handled in the future.