Philippine senate hearing: Alice Guo rules out running in next year’s elections
Guo said she will first deal with the accusations against her.
The Philippines.- Alice Guo, the suspended mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, stated on Tuesday (October 8) that she will not be a candidate in next year’s mayoral elections. Guo clarified her decision in response to a question from Senate president pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada during the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing on offshore gaming operators.
Guo said: “I will deal with the accusations against me first. I will clear myself first to be fair to my constituents.”
Alice Guo’s attorney Stephen David had suggested last Friday (October 4) that Guo would run. However, Senator Joel Villanueva said Guo would not be able to run due to a resolution by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualifying her from running for any public office. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian issued a statement saying such a move would be “another brazen attempt to undermine the country’s laws.”
He said: “The Commission on Elections (Comelec) itself approved the recommendation of its Law Department to take action against Guo for violating the Omnibus Election Code through blatant misrepresentation. One of the key findings is the matching fingerprints between Alice Guo and Chinese passport holder Guo Hua Ping.
“Also, she falsely claimed to be a Filipino born in Tarlac, while official records show that she is a Chinese national, born in Fujian to her Chinese mother, Lin Wenyi.”
Jinggoy Estrada noted that candidates must be Filipino and must provide accurate information about themselves. Estrada said: “This privilege stated in our Constitution is only for our fellow citizens and can never be given to fake Filipinos.”
In a statement issued shortly after announcing her withdrawal from next year’s elections, Guo said: “Even if I do have Chinese blood and there are questions on my nationality, and if you ask me, in front of the whole Philippines I am saying that I choose to be a Filipino. My heart and soul is Filipino.”
