Alice Guo has until 12 September to file counter-affidavit — Comelec

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday granted dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo a 10-day extension to file a counter-affidavit in her misrepresentation complaint.

The poll body allowed Guo’s camp to file a counter-affidavit until 12 September.

“Nakalagay doon sa kanyang order na definitely, ito ang kanyang huli na at hindi na papayagan, any further, ang extension ng pagpa-file niya (It was said in that order that definitely, it will be her last and we will not allow anymore extension),” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said.

Comelec representatives formally served a subpoena against the dismissed mayor on 13 August.

Guo was given 10 days or until 23 August to file a counter-affidavit but the period was moved to 27 August due to public holidays.

Their appeal for an extension until 1 September was approved but that was extended again due to inclement weather.

“Ine-expect natin sa a-dose (12 September 2024], magpa-file na sila [Guo camp] ng counter-affidavit (We’re expecting that by 12 midnight of 12 September, Guo’s camp will file an counter-affidavit),” Garcia said.

“At ang Law Department namin pagkatapos noon ay makapagsa-submit na ng kanyang recommendation sa Comelec En Banc upang malaman natin kung may probable cause talaga to charge her of misrepresentation in court (And our Law Department will submit a recommendation in Comelec En Banc to see if there’s really a probable cause to charge her or misrepresentation in court),” he added.

Guo is facing complains of human trafficking, undesirability, and misrepresentation.

She was deported from Indonesia on 6 September after being arrested by Indonesian authorities on 4 September.

The Senate launched an investigation into Guo in May after a raid in March by law enforcers on a casino in Bamban, uncovered what they said were scams run from a facility built on land Guo partly owned.