DILG RECOMMENDS SUSPENSION VS BAMBAN MAYOR ALICE GUO

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman the issuance of a preventive suspension against Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac.

According to the DILG, the recommendation is “to prevent any influence on the continuing investigations of their office and other agencies.”

A special team was formed to investigate allegations of Guo’s possible involvement in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in Bamban.

DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. tapped lawyer Benjamin Zabala of the agency’s Internal Audit Service to lead the 7-man team tasked to conduct the probe.

“The Task Force’s updated report has been submitted today, May 17, 2024, to the Office of the Ombudsman for their appropriate action,” the DILG head said.

“Based on the report, there are troubling findings of serious illegal acts which may have severe legal implications,” said Abalos.

Abalos said the DILG does not have the power to directly suspend or dismiss local officials, the reason why they refer the matter to the Office of the Ombudsman.

“The DILG does not have the power to directly suspend or dismiss local officials. Hence, the DILG defers to the Ombudsman regarding any sanctions that may be imposed against Guo, in line with its disciplinary authority over elective officials of local governments under Section 21 of Republic Act No. 6770,” he added.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatachalian  earlier grilled Guo about her suspected Chinese citizenship after the mayor failed to provide details about her birth place, school records and late birth registration at the age of 17.

In her proclamation rally in 2022, Guo claimed that her father, Anghelito Guo, whose real name is Jian Zhong Guo, was a Chinese while her mother was a Filipina.

Gatchalian questioned why Anghelito was identified as Chinese in documents related to his embroidery business.

Earlier, the Office of the Solicitor General formed a team to determine if Guo is illegally holding or exercising a public office, a move that some lawmakers support.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also called for an investigation on Guo, claiming that “no one knows the mayor.”