MANILA, Philippines — The arraignment of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo for her graft case filed before a Valenzuela City court was once again postponed on Monday, September 30, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said.
The dismissed mayor’s arraignment was rescheduled to October 28, BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Bustinera told the members of the press.
Bustinera, however, did not reveal the reason why the arraignment was postponed as the information was only relayed to the jail bureau. Philstar.com has reached out to one of Guo’s lawyers, Stephen David, for further details but he has yet to reply.
The dismissed mayor’s initial date for arraignment was also rescheduled due to her pending motion to quash filed against the graft charge.
Earlier, Guo posted a bail amounting to P540,000 at the Valenzuela City Regional Trial Court, Branch 282, for charges related to violations of Sections 3(e) and 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Her graft raps stemmed from the complaint filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) last July over her alleged involvement in one of the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban.
The complaint alleged that Guo and other local officials allowed the issuance of a permit to Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc., a POGO in Bamban, despite the company failing to meet necessary requirements.
This graft complaint also resulted in the dismissal of Guo from office with forfeiture of all her retirement benefits.
It was first lodged before a Capas, Tarlac court but was transferred to the Valenzuela RTC.
Due to the dismissed mayor’s alleged links to POGOs, she faces multiple charges such as money laundering, tax evasion and qualified human trafficking.
She is also facing a possible cancellation of her birth certificate and a quo warranto petition which questions the validity of her election as mayor.