Alice Guo says she will not seek reelection in 2025: 'Haharapin ko muna 'yung mga accusations sa akin'
Alice Guo said she has no plans of running to reclaim her position as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac in the 2025 midterm elections.
During the Senate panel on women’s 15th hearing on Guo’s POGO ties, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada questioned Guo on the news that she will run in next year's elections. Her lawyer, Stephen David, previously said that she will file her certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 polls sometime this week.
Guo appeared to change her mind as she explained that she wanted to prioritize the issues she is currently facing.
"Sa ngayon, hindi po. Haharapin ko muna ['yung mga] accusations po sa akin, linisin ko po muna yung sarili ko para maging fair din po para sa mga constituents ko po na minamahal ko po," she said.
Guo had been serving as mayor of the Tarlac municipality until she was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman from the position due to "grave misconduct" in connection with the alleged illegal activities of POGO hubs in her town. She's also currently facing a qualified human trafficking case before a Pasig court as well as a graft case before a Valenzuela court.
Such issues have led many to question whether she can still run in the 2025 elections.
But David earlier stressed that it's important to let the residents of Bamban decide for themselves whether they still want the dismissed mayor to reclaim her position.
"Kailangan kasi talaga dapat patunayan ng mga tao roon kung mahal talaga siya, hindi 'yung technicality na sinasabi na hindi siya qualified. Why don't we let the people to decide kung talagang gusto siya ng tao?" David said. "Anyway, kung hindi naman siya gusto, hindi naman siya mananalo."
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) also previously explained that Guo may still submit her COC if she wants to run again since there has been no final verdict in the many cases and claims against her.
"Ministerial po ang duty namin kaya po tatanggapin namin lahat ng Certificates of Candidacy," Comelec Chairman George Garcia told the media outlet, adding if the agency found enough basis to file an election offense to Guo, they can prevent the latter from running.
"Sa amin kasi, kapag nagkaroon ng desisyon ang Comelec en banc, ang desisyon ng en banc ay executory kahit na naka-appeal pa siya sa Korte Suprema," Garcia explained.
Solicitor General Menardo also emphasized the same thing to One PH when asked if Guo can still "theoretically, hypothetically and technically" vie for a government post.
On the other hand, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said that Guo, who is detained at the Pasig City female dormitory, will need a court order to personally file her COC, which will allow her to leave the facility.
"Kung gusto niya mag-file personally, kailangan ng court order at 'pag pumayag po ang court na lumabas siya, we will comply and we will ensure na secure ang magiging proseso,” Jail Superintendent Jayrex Bustinera, BJMP spokesperson told reporters.
The filing of COCs for the May 2025 midterm elections began on Oct. 1 and will end on Oct. 8. There is a total of 18,280 positions including senators, party-list representatives, house of representatives, and local government positions.