MANILA – Dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo clarified on Tuesday that she will not be running again in the Tarlac town.
Guo made the clarification when asked by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada during the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.
Guo legal counsel Stephen David earlier announced that she will seek reelection.
“Your honor, sa ngayon, hindi po (right now, no),” Guo answered.
“Your honor, haharapin ko po muna ‘yung mga accusation sa akin. Lilinisin ko po muna yung sarili ko po para maging fair din po sa mga constituents ko (I will deal with the accusations against me first. I will clear myself first to be fair to my constituents),” she added.
However, Senator Joel Villanueva cited a resolution by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that Guo is not qualified to run for any public office anymore.
“Kahit gustuhin pa rin ni Ms. Guo Hua Ping na tumakbo sa susunod na halalan, talagang hindi po siya pwedeng payagan at hindi na po siya pinapayagang tumakbo (Even if Ms. Guo Hua Ping wants to run in the next elections, he really cannot be allowed and she is not allowed to run anymore),” Villanueva said.
Senator Grace Poe agreed with Villanueva, noting that Comelec has the authority to disqualify candidates with questionable required documents.
“I went through that. The Comelec en banc have actually decided on their own,” Poe said, referring to her disqualification from the 2016 presidential race over her period of residency in the country and her status as a natural-born Filipino.
Guo continued to maintain that she is a natural-born Filipino despite evidence to the contrary presented before the Senate panel. (PNA)