Alice Guo given until Sept. 1 to reply to misrepresentation rap

Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo (File Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

By Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has granted the request of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo for a 10-day extension of the deadline to submit a counter-affidavit on the material misrepresentation complaint filed against her.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said Tuesday the deadline for the measure has been moved from Aug. 22 to Sept 1.

“Ayaw natin maging mahigpit. Pero kung hihingi pa ulit ng extension mukhang hindi na dapat. Yung mapagbigyan ng isang pagkakataon, tama lang po yan (We don’t want to be strict. But if they request for another extension, I don’t think it is proper anymore. It is enough that they were given at least one chance),” he said in an interview.

Garcia noted that they would wait for the submission of the counter-affidavit and if the Bamban mayor would personally file her comment on the complaint.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) earlier said the dismissed mayor is still in Indonesia, after fleeing the Philippines last month.

“Hindi natin alam yan ganung may katanungan kung andito talaga siya. Kung mag-file ba sila ng counter-affidavit, may pirma ba siya? Napanumpaan ba yun sa notary public? So hintayin po natin kung makapag file sila on time sa kanilang deadline matapos nilang humingi ng extension (We are not aware of that because there are questions whether she is here. If they file a counter-affidavit, does it have her signature? Was it sworn before a notary public? So, let us wait if they would be able to file on time based on the deadline set after they sought an extension),” he said.

Garcia said the poll body would not accept Guo’s counter affidavit if she fails to appear and have it notarized.

On Aug. 23, Guo, through her counsel Stephen David, requested for the deadline to be moved to a later date to give them time to do research and study the complaint.

The material misrepresentation case against Guo stemmed from her alleged false claims in her certificate of candidacy for the May 2022 polls.