The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for not more than six months following a complaint filed by the Department of Interior and Local Government for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and gross neglect of duty.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires, in a May 31 order, said there were “sufficient grounds to preventively suspend” Guo and two other town officials “considering that there is strong evidence showing their guilt.”
The Ombudsman order included Edwin Ocampo, Bamban’s business permit and licensing officer, and Adenn Sigua, the town’s municipal legal officer.
The three were suspended without pay during the period of the investigation until its completion, but not exceeding six months.
“Their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them,” the Ombudsman said.
DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos earlier sent a report to the Ombudsman, citing “troubling findings of serious illegal acts which may have severe legal implications.”
The DILG questioned Guo for the issuance of a permit to Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc. despite the company’s failure to complete the requirements of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. as well as its expired license.
“Given [the] respondents’ power and authority, there is a strong probability that they may influence witnesses or tamper with any evidence material to the case,” the Ombudsman’s nine-page order read.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, for its part, said it will file tax evasion complaints Guo and others involved in the POGO operation, PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said.
“As far we are concerned, we saw sever violations… mostly administrative. We will file tax evasion complaints against her,” Casio said.
Casio, however, did not give a figure as to how much taxes were involved.
On the other hand, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the most critical question that Guo has to answer is her citizenship.
Guevarra earlier said his office may file a quo warranto petition against the mayor over her alleged links to illegal POGO acts in her jurisdiction.
“You have listened to the Senate [hearings] and it seems to be that there is a lot of conflicting information, if not disinformation,” Guevarra said.
“We need to be able to discern what evidence is competent enough, that it will hold before the court. Citizenship — it is the most important and crucial question,” he added.
Guevarra said they are looking at Guo’s birth certificate, the late registration of her birth, and the nationality of her parents, among others.
“Those matters will have bearing on her citizenship, so that is what we are trying to find out,” he said.
“We do not want to tell everyone of our findings until we are able to gather all the necessary information. We do not want to make conclusions based on incomplete data,” he added.
Last March 13, authorities raided a 10-hectare area operated by Zun Yuan Technology Inc. and found several devices linked to POGO operations.
Over 600 Filipinos and foreigners were rescued during the raid.
Guo was found to be the incorporator of Baofu Land Development Inc. that owns the land where the POGO complex is located.
Senator Risa Hontiveros welcomed Guo’s preventive suspension.
“Rightfully so. The first time we visited the raided POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac, I already appealed for the preventive suspension of Mayor Alice Guo,” the Senate Deputy Minority Leader said in a statement.
“We also received information that she tried to obstruct the ongoing investigation immediately after the POGO was raided. This should have already warranted a suspension. We only hope this is not too late,” she added.
Sherwin Sherwin Gatchalian said the preventive suspension order was “a move in the right direction.”
“Any government officials suspected of any wrongdoing should be thoroughly investigated and held liable if found guilty,” he said.
Gatchalian said the Senate remains committed in fleshing out details relating to the establishment of the POGO hub in the mayor’s town.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Hontiveros says Ombudsman is right to place Alice Guo under preventive suspension