Metro Manila, Philippines – The court’s decision on the quo warranto petition filed against suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo may be released within the year, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said on Thursday, August 1.
The OSG lodged the petition before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) on July 29 as it seeks to oust Guo from public office.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra told NewsWatch Plus that the process is quicker as the issue involves a public official.
Guevarra explained that the Manila court will send a notice to Guo, who in turn will be given enough time to answer the petition. The process will continue even if Guo refuses to respond or appear.
Currently, Guo’s whereabouts are unknown, the solicitor general said.
“On the assumption na hindi siya sasagot, hindi siya mag-a-appear at magfa-file ng kanyang comment or answer to the petition, within the year ang tingin ko makapagre-render ng judgment ang RTC Manila. Within the year, kaya ‘yan,” Guevarra said.
[Translation: On the assumption that she will not respond nor appear and file a comment or answer to the petition, the RTC Manila can render its judgement within the year. It can be done within the year.]
The country’s top lawyer assured that Guo may appeal the decision of the Manila court. He said the embattled mayor may approach the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court.
Guevarra noted that the process of appeals may take some time.
“‘Yung matter ng appeal is a right available to any party. Statutory right ‘yun,” he said. “Sometimes matagal ang appeal dahil naiipon lahat sa mga appellate courts ‘yung mga kaso na galing sa lower courts kaya ang dami niyan.”
[Translation: The matter of appeal is a right available to any party. That is a statutory right… Sometimes, appeals are time-consuming because cases from the lower courts accumulate in the appellate courts. There are many cases.]
Guo, whose real name was discovered to be Guo Hua Ping, has been tagged in illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations.
The Senate is conducting hearings on the matter, but Guo has skipped the inquiry several times.
