MANILA — Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo’s qualifications as an elected official can be questioned in court, according to Comelec chairman George Garcia.

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Garcia on Friday said he immediately checked with the Commission’s Clerk of Court the records filed by Guo when she ran in 2022 after hearing what transpired in a recent Senate hearing.

Hontiveros, in the hearing, underlined Guo’s absence of hospital and school records, as well as her late filing for a birth certificate, which was issued when she was already 17 years old. 

Garcia said no one filed a disqualification or cancelation of candidacy petition against Guo. 

“Wala po, wala pong nakapag-file,” Garcia said.

According to Garcia, the Comelec only has a “ministerial duty” to accept COCs, wherein they will just check if the questions stated in the form have been accomplished and sworn in. 

“Pagkatapos po noon, yun po ay sapat na sa amin. Hindi po kami magpapa-require ng dagdag na ebidensya, o kahit anong dokumento. Ipe-presume po namin yun na valid ang kanyang deklarasyon at tama ang kanyang deklarasyon,” Garcia explained.

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“Yan po kailangan merong magpa-file ng petisyon to cancel the candidacy or disqualify the candidate,” Garcia said.   

As for the Comelec, its jurisdiction over one candidate will only run from one’s filing of his or her COC up to the proclamation. 

After then, a court will now handle any petition or case against any proclaimed candidate. 

“Halimbawa po, yung isang mayor ay nanalo. May issue pala sa kanya tungkol sa citizenship, hindi naman nakita ng kahit sino. Yan po ay pupwede namang ma-kwestyon pagkatapos ng proklamasyon, kahit siya ay nanunungkulan na, sa pamamagitan ng Petition for Quo Warranto,” Garcia explained.

The petition, he said, can be filed in any regional trial court. 

“Pwede po (habulin) lalo na pag ang issue ay citizenship,” Garcia said.