Quo warranto case eyed vs Bamban mayor

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) may question the qualifications to hold public office of Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac if it finds “good reason.”

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said his office is gathering information to determine if it can file a quo warranto petition against the mayor, whose identity as a Filipino citizen is being questioned over her alleged involvement in an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) firm.

A quo warranto proceeding is a legal remedy to determine a person’s right to a public office.

“If there is a good reason to believe that the subject unlawfully holds or exercises a public office, the OSG will commence quo warranto or other appropriate proceedings,” Guevarra told The STAR in a text message.

Meanwhile, Commission on Elections (Comelec)  spokesman Rex Laudiangco said Guo may face an election offense for misrepresentation that could result in her perpetual disqualification from running for public office.

At the Bagong Pilipinas briefing yesterday, Laudiangco said Guo would face charges for material misrepresentation if it is established that the information she stated in her certificate of candidacy (COC) was false.

The COC is filed under oath and if is established that Guo misrepresented herself, a case for perjury can be filed before a regular court, Laudiangco said.

Based on Comelec records, Guo filed her application for registration as a voter in 2018.

Laudiangco noted that the Comelec has not received any complaint against Guo until her proclamation as mayor.

Meanwhile, 165 Chinese arrested during a raid on a POGO firm in Bamban in March were deported on Tuesday.

Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the deportees were found to have violated immigration laws for failing to present their travel documents, for overstaying and being undesirable aliens.-  Rudy Santos