Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Leal Guo’s camp has filed an appeal to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), to extend the deadline for her filing of counter-affidavit in the misrepresentation complaint lodged against her by the Comelec.

In a letter addressed to the Comelec that the Commission received Thursday, Guo’s legal team said it “respectfully enters its appearance as counsel for respondent Alice Leal Guo” on the complaint that she misrepresented herself as a Filipino citizens in her signed voting records.

“Henceforth, it is respectfully requested that all notices, orders, decisions and pleadings issued in the above-mentioned case be furnished to the undersigned,” Guo’s legal team from the David Buenaventura Ang and Jamilla Law Offices, stated.

In the communique signed by lawyer Lorelei Santos, it was also sought that the 10-day period given to Guo to file her counter-affidavit—which is until August 27—be extended to September 1, 2024.

“This case has only been recently endorsed to us by the Respondent. Further, the above-mentioned case requires comprehensive research and study as well as material time to have the complete facts and circumstances of the case and to ventilate the arguments of the Respondent effectively and properly,” the law firm said.

“Additionally, the heavy pressure of work and equally important prior commitments on the part of the undersigned counsel makes it more difficult to file the required Counter-Affidavit within the prescribed period,” Guo’s lawyers added.

“Hence, Respondent is constraint to ask this Honorable Commission for an additional ten (10) days from 22 August 2024, or until 01 September 2024, within which to file the required Counter-Affidavit,” the letter stated.

The law firm has also stressed that their filed appeal is “not for dilatory purposes but is demanded by necessity".

In reaction, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that: “The filing of the pleading confirms receipt by the respondent hence, jurisdiction over her person is already perfected.”

Garcia said the Comelec Law Department will discuss and resolve the matter given that the misrepresentation complaint against Guo is still in the preliminary investigation stage.