The Office of the Solicitor General is set to file quo warranto petition against suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo before the end of the month.
A quo warranto proceeding is a legal remedy to determine a person’s right or title to a public office and to oust the holder from its enjoyment.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said they are just “incorporating” new evidence that “turned up” from the Senate investigation into the supposed illegal POGO operation in Bamban.
“More evidence keeps on turning up that strengthens our case. We’re incorporating these and consolidating everything,” he said.
Guo, whose Filipino citizenship is being questioned, is being linked to the illegal POGO hub that was raided by authorities in Bamban. She has denied the allegations and insisted that she is a Filipino citizen.
The Commission on Elections, for its part, said it will visit the municipality of Bamban to get the election day computerized voters list (EDCVL) containing the details of voters who cast their ballots and their fingerprints.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said the documents they will obtain can be used to support the OSG case against the suspended mayor.
“We’re sure our findings will be helpful to the OSG,” Garcia said.
Senate President Francis Escudero, meanwhile, said he rejected Guo’s apology and request for understanding, adding that she has to appear at the hearing on July 29 to address the allegations against her.
Escudero said he received a letter from Guo on July 22 apologizing for her failure to attend two past hearings that prompted the Senate to issue an arrest warrant against her.
Guo expressed her readiness to face her cases with various government agencies, including the Ombudsman, Department of Justice, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the courts, to prove her innocence, but made no mention about attending the Senate probe.
Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping according to the National Bureau of Investigation, underscored her desire to defend herself in the proper forum.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Comelec to visit Bamban, Tarlac to help OSG case vs Guo
