Dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo appears at the hearing of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality. Guo arrived in the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on Monday morning, September 9, 2024. (Photo from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo filed on Thursday her counter-affidavit in response to the material misrepresentation case filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against her.
The poll body previously gave her until Thursday, September 12, to submit her counter-affidavit after she filed a second motion to extend the deadline for filing of her response to the charge.
The decision also said that she would not be granted any further extension.
Guo’s camp filed the motion on August 30 to ask for an extension of 15 days starting from September 1 until September 16.
READ: Alice Guo has until Sept. 12 to file counter-affidavit – Comelec
Comelec Chairman George Garcia disclosed in a message to the media that Guo filed her counter-affidavit through her lawyer.
“Filing the counter affidavit is a recognition of the exercise of jurisdiction of the Comelec. Now, we can terminate the preliminary investigation and proceed to the resolution of the controversy,” Garcia said in a statement to the media.
Meanwhile, the poll body chief revealed in a press briefing on Thursday that “at least five former candidates were recommended by the law department to charge with misrepresentation.”
Garcia said the commission will decide whether or not to charge them with misrepresentation. He added that the case may stem from lying on the indicated age, address, voter registration, literacy and Filipino citizenship on the Certificate of Candidacy (COC).
He also noted that the commission is not doing a “single out” move against Guo as they regularly handle misrepresentation cases.
READ: Alice Guo allegedly offered Lacson’s pal P1B to help her
The poll body issued a subpoena against Guo on August 13 for alleged material misrepresentation in her COC in the 2022 elections.
This development came after the Comelec en banc unanimously approved the recommendation of its law department to file the charges.