Ombudsman dismisses Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from office

Metro Manila, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed embattled Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Leal Guo for grave misconduct over links to illegal online gambling operations in her town.

The judgment also means the "forfeiture of all her retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification to re-enter government service," according to a document dated Monday, Aug. 12 and shared to the media on Tuesday.

The Ombudsman said Guo had "willful intent on her part to violate the law of disregard established rules" when she committed acts related to her involvement in the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) hub at Baofu Compound.

It stated that Guo remained to be the "real, true and actual president of Baofu Land Development, Inc. and stands to benefit from the continued operations of Hongsheng and Zun Yuan" even when she began her role as municipal mayor.

"From the very start, the actions of Guo were clear enough to demonstrate her design to further business concerns in Bamban, Tarlac," the 25-page decision read.

For the Ombudsman, this was a clear conflict of interest.

The Ombusman also suspended 12 other Bamban officials for three months after finding them guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The special panel directed the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to evaluate if there is a need to file appropriate charges against former Bamban Mayor Jose Antonio Feliciano for accommodating Guo's requests for the issuance of a "letter of no objection" for Hongsheng.

Guo to appeal dismissal order

“It is unfortunate that the Office of the Ombudsman did not see the merit of the argument of the Respondent Mayor,” lawyer Stephen David told NewsWatch Plus on Wednesday. “Nonetheless, we are preparing for the motion for reconsideration as a prerequisite for filing an appeal with rhetorical Court of Appeals.” The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed embattled Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Leal Guo for grave misconduct over links to illegal online gambling operations in her town.

The controversy began in a Senate committee investigation on the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation at Baofu Compound, where Guo was implicated. The probe also focused on Guo's Chinese citizenship.

Guo is still in hiding, with an arrest order from the Senate dangling over her for skipping committee hearings.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who led the Senate inquiry, commended the Ombudsman for “his sound and sensible judgment.”

“Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national, does not deserve to be a Philippine Mayor,” Hontiveros said. “She should have been stripped of that title immediately after we confirmed that she was not Filipino.”

“At dapat mapanagot na siya sa paglabag niya sa ating mga batas [She should be held accountable for violating our law]. I trust that our law enforcers are working double time to catch this fugitive,” she added.

The DILG filed in June a complaint against Guo and others over grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, gross neglect of duty, and serious dishonesty.

The Ombudsman then imposed the preventive suspension of the mayor.

In July, the Office of the Solicitor General filed before the Manila Regional Trial Court a quo warranto petition against Guo, seeking her ouster from public office and the nullification of her proclamation as mayor in 2022.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said “the quo warranto petition will proceed nonetheless” as Guo “may still appeal.” “The quo warranto decision, if against her, will disqualify her from any other elections in the future,” he added.

The Commission on Elections, in August, filed a complaint against the Bamban mayor for misrepresentations in her 2022 mayoral candidacy. — with reports from NewsWatch Plus Senior Correspondent Eimor Santos