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Lawyers Stephen David, Nicole Jamilla, and Lorelie Santos, the legal team of suspended Mayor Alice Guo,  file a Motion for Reconsideration and Urgent Motion to Lift Preventive Suspension before the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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ALICE GUO SUSPENSION-OMBUDSMAN

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171955956308120240606-alice-guo-ombudsman-reconsideration-MT-7.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Lawyers Stephen David, Nicole Jamilla, and Lorelie Santos, the legal team of suspended Mayor Alice Guo, file a Motion for Reconsideration and Urgent Motion to Lift Preventive Suspension before the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Lawyers Stephen David, Nicole Jamilla, and Lorelie Santos, the legal team of suspended Mayor Alice Guo, file a Motion for Reconsideration and Urgent Motion to Lift Preventive Suspension before the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City on Thursday, June 6, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file</em></span></span></span>MANILA — Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo’s lawyer on Friday insisted on her innocence amid the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) puncturing her claim of Filipino citizenship.</div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/20/guo-denies-being-a-chinese-spy-i-am-a-filipino-i-love-my-country-1917">• [EXCLUSIVE] Guo denies being a Chinese spy: &#x27;I am a Filipino, I love my country&#x27;</a></div><p>The NBI on Thursday 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.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/28/nbi-findings-on-guo-prove-fake-filipino-ran-for-public-office-senator-817" id="isPasted">• NBI findings on Guo prove ‘fake Filipino’ ran for office, says senator</a></div><p> In an interview with ABS-CBN News, lawyer Stephen David said that as of now, Guo is still presumed innocent by law. </p><p>“The respondent is still entitled to the presumption of innocence kasi (because) right now she is still innocent, ‘yun naman ang ating batas (that is our law),” David added.   </p><p>He refused to comment on the findings, saying it was still premature to do so at this time. </p><p>“Ine-expect ko na gagamitin nila ‘yan sa legal forum kung magfa-file sila ng kung ano anong mga cases laban kay mayor on the basis of their statements. That will only be the best time for us to confront them, examine the documents, check natin ‘yung validity, genuineness, execution, sources ng documents, saan galing ‘yan,” David said. “Right now it’s premature.”</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/25/guo-camp-to-file-ca-petition-vs-ombudsman-suspension-1447">• Guo camp to file CA petition vs Ombudsman suspension</a></div><p> (I expect they will use that in a legal forum if they will file cases against Mayor on the basis of their statements. That will only be the best time for us to confront them, examine the documents, check the validity, genuineness, execution, sources of documents, where these came from.)</p><p> David believes the truth will come out in court where they will be able to cross examine the witnesses against Guo.</p><p> As to the allegation that there is another Alice Leal Guo, David said it would also be premature for him to comment since there is no trial yet. </p><p>He also challenged the validity of the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s (AMLC) statements that Guo wrote different variations of the name Wen Yi Lin as the name of her mother in her bank documents. </p><p>“Ang question, sino ba talaga ang nag-submit ng mga ‘yan? Kaya ba nilang sabihin na ‘yan talaga eh gawa ni mayor Alice? Eh we will be reserving this thing sa aming trial,” David remarked. </p><p>(The question is, who was the one who really submitted that? Can they prove that Mayor Alice made that? We will be reserving this thing for the trial.)</p><div> <strong>NBI ANALYSIS</strong></div><p> In a press conference on Friday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said NBI’s findings, particularly the fingerprint examination, are strong pieces of evidence to prove that Guo lied about her identity.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/28/deportation-jail-time-or-plea-deal-what-happens-next-to-chinese-mayor-alice-guo-1027">• Deportation, jail time or plea deal: What happens next to &#x27;Chinese&#x27; mayor Alice Guo?</a></div><p> “Palagay ko wala nang lusot. Kapag ang NBI nagsabi na itong set of fingerprints ng isang pangalan at itong set of fingerprints ng iba pang pangalan ay magkaparehong magkapareho, finger by finger, eh logical na conclusion led by the NBI na iisang tao lamang ito,” Hontiveros said.</p><p> (I think there is no more way around this. If the NBI says a set of fingerprints of one name is the same as the set of fingerprints of another name, finger by finger, then it is a logical conclusion that those two are the same person.) </p><p>For Hontiveros, the NBI’s findings are unassailable because it has the mandate and expertise on the matter. </p><p>“I think this is the single strongest piece of evidence already,” she said. </p><p>She added that the analysis of a third party on the fingerprints is unnecessary.</p><p> The <span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;--darkreader-inline-color:#bfb9b1;--darkreader-inline-bgcolor:#181a1b;display:inline !important">Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)</span> has welcomed the findings of NBI and said this will help their investigation.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/gatchalian-asks-osg-to-fast-track-case-vs-guo-2016">• Gatchalian asks OSG to fast track case vs Guo</a> </div><p>Guo is facing a complaint for qualified human trafficking before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly being connected with Zun Yuan Technology, the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban.</p><p>If Guo gets convicted, she will have to serve her sentence in the Philippines, according to Hontiveros and DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty.</p><div><strong>POGO TIES TO LGUs</strong></div><p>The recent developments only show that the illegal POGO operations are deep and widespread, according to Hontiveros.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/24/gatchalian-recommends-suspension-of-porac-mayor-over-pogo-2153">• Gatchalian recommends suspension of Porac mayor over POGO</a></div><p>She pointed out the supposed link between the Bamban POGO hub and the illegal POGO Clark Sun Valley in Pampanga that was previously closed down.</p><p>Hontiveros believes it is time for government to check if there are other local officials who may have also taken on a fake Filipino identity.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/10/-pogo-politics-suspected-china-ties-of-tarlac-town-mayor-alarms-solon-1016">• &#x27;POGO-politics&#x27;: Suspected China ties of Tarlac town mayor alarms solon</a></div><p>“Kung ang naging modus operandi sa Bamban POGO Hub ay ‘yung pag-place ng isang Mayor o pagprotekta ng isang Mayor sa POGO Hub and under false pretenses as a Filipino citizen, baka ‘yun na rin ‘yung isang angulo ang pwede nilang i-check na modus operandi din sa ibang mga POGO Hubs,” she stated.</p><p>(If the modus operandi in Bamban POGO Hub is to place a Mayor or the protection of a Mayor of a POGO hub under false pretenses as a Filipino citizen, then that could be an angle that could be checked in other POGO hubs.)</p><p>Hontiveros’ Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality will schedule the next hearing on Mayor Guo at the soonest possible time.</p><div><strong>HOW IS MAYOR GUO?</strong></div><p>Asked how Guo is doing, David said she told him to prepare for her cases in court because the attacks against her will not stop.</p><p>David reiterated that Guo could not attend the last Senate hearing because she was sick due to the different cases and accusations against her.</p><p>“Nanghihina siya. Masyado na siyang stressed parang gusto na lang niyang umupo doon, wala. Hindi siya makagalaw eh. Masyadong, para kang na-shock, electric shock,” he explained.</p><p>(She was weak. She was too stressed it was like she just wanted to sit. She couldn’t move. It was as if you had an electric shock.)</p><p>He said she will most likely attend the next hearing.</p><p>At the moment, David said Guo is in Quezon City.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3042237"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script>

<p>In an interview with ABS-CBN, David said that as of now, Guo is still presumed innocent by law.</p>

In an interview with ABS-CBN, David said that as of now, Guo is still presumed innocent by law.

Lawyer says Alice Guo 'presumed innocent' despite NBI findings

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Lawyer says Alice Guo 'presumed innocent' despite NBI findings

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 28, 2024 04:27 PM PHT

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Updated June 28, 2024 06:02 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

alice guo

bamban tarlac

stephen david

NBI

fingerprints

Bamban

POGO

crime

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