Mayor Guo’s camp reserves right to comment until accuracy of data is established | ABS-CBN

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Mayor Guo’s camp reserves right to comment until accuracy of data is established

Mayor Guo’s camp reserves right to comment until accuracy of data is established

Rose Carmelle Lacuata,

ABS-CBN News

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Updated Jul 04, 2024 01:27 AM PHT

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Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo in a Senate hearing in Pasay City on May 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/FileBamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo in a Senate hearing in Pasay City on May 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The legal counsel of suspended town mayor Alice Guo refused to comment on the recent developments in the investigation on her nationality, at least until their side has verified the accuracy of the documents presented by law enforcement authorities.

The National Bureau of Investigation recently confirmed that the mayor’s fingerprints matched that of Guo Hua Ping, who came into the Philippines as a teen while using a Chinese passport. 

Atty. Stephen David, however, said they have yet to verify the authenticity of the documents used by the NBI to come to this conclusion.

“Ako mismo, nagugulat din ako. Ganoon ba ka, pardon my ignorance, ganoon ba ka ano na ma-retrieve pa ‘yung mga dokumento na ganoon?” he told Teleradyo Serbisyo on Wednesday night.

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“So ako, I reserve my right to accuracy. Hindi ko masasabi na accurate ‘yan dahil 30 years na yata ‘yung, 20 years, 25 years kung sinasabi na 13 years old lang siya noon,” David added.

David admitted he was supposed to defend Guo only on the issue of the existence of an illegal offshore gaming operations hub in her town, but allegations against Guo has increased.

Despite these developments, he said their camp is preparing to defend Guo.

He also said it is premature to comment on the recent developments while they also look into the documents and evidence against Guo.

“Right now, premature mag-comment eh. Hindi ko naman sinasabing genuine ‘yan. Hindi ko rin naman sinasabing fake ‘yan. Eh wala ako sa position para magcomment. Mayroon tayong proseso para ma-validate ang mga executions at genuineness ng mga ganyang dokumento,” David said.

The heads of the NBI and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) met earlier to discuss a looming election offense case against Guo.

Garcia earlier said that the Comelec was preparing a case against Guo for allegedly misrepresenting herself as a Filipino citizen when she filed her certificate of candidacy for the 2022 mayoralty race.

Guo has insisted that she is a Filipino. She denied that she is a Chinese spy or that she had alleged links to illegal POGOs. 

The NBI also said it has found another "Alice Leal Guo" who applied for an NBI clearance in 2005. 

NBI director Jaime Santiago said this was a separate NBI clearance from what Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, applied for in 2021, and Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, recorded in 2006.  

Guo’s brother, Wesley Leal Guo, was also found to be Chinese whose real name is Guo Xiang Dian. 

This was the revelation of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, based on the fingerprint matching of the NBI using its biometric records and the records of the Board of Investments (BOI).

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Gun ban update: 971 arrested since start of election period

Gun ban update: 971 arrested since start of election period

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

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Police personnel conduct checkpoint operations in Taytay, Rizal on Jan. 12, 2025. Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN NewsPolice personnel conduct checkpoint operations in Taytay, Rizal on Jan. 12, 2025. Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said they have arrested 971 individuals since the start of election period and implantation of gun ban on Jan. 12.

"Sa 37th day ng implementation ng Comelec gun ban, kabuuan ng naaresto po natin na tao ay umanbot na sa 971," Col. Randulf Tuaño, chief PNP-Public Information Office said in a press briefing.

Tuaño added that 88 of the arrests were made from Feb. 11, the start of campaign period for national candidates, until present.

"Doon po sa period ng Feb. 11 hanggang kasalukuyan, ang nahuli natin ay 88. Ito po ay bumubuo sa 9 percent sa totalidad po nya," he said.

In a press release, PNP provided a break down of the arrests and confiscations.

"Of those arrested, 106 were apprehended at Comelec checkpoints, 417 during police responses, 149 in anti-illegal drug operations, 53 in gun buy-bust operations, and 246 in other law enforcement operations (OLEO)," PNP said.

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PNP said that since the start of the gun ban, 962 firearms have confiscated through various police operations:

• 92 firearms seized at checkpoints 

• 418 recovered during police responses

• 136 from anti-illegal drug operations

• 53 from gun buy-bust operations

• 263 from other law enforcement operations

The Philippines is set to hold a midterm elections on May 12, 2025, with over 18,000 elective positions up for grabs.

For more news and features on Philippine elections, visit the ABS-CBN News' Halalan 2025 page.

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