NPC expels Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from party ahead of 2025 polls | ABS-CBN
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NPC expels Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from party ahead of 2025 polls
NPC expels Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from party ahead of 2025 polls
ABS-CBN News
Published Jun 23, 2024 01:55 PM PHT
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Updated Jun 24, 2024 09:29 AM PHT
MANILA (UPDATE 2) — The Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) has expelled controversial Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from the party ahead of the 2025 midterm elections, where the local chief executive linked to illegal gambling operations is expected to run for re-election.
MANILA (UPDATE 2) — The Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) has expelled controversial Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from the party ahead of the 2025 midterm elections, where the local chief executive linked to illegal gambling operations is expected to run for re-election.
Guo has been notified of her expulsion from the party through a notice sent party secretary-general Mark Llandro Mendoza, who is also head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.
Guo has been notified of her expulsion from the party through a notice sent party secretary-general Mark Llandro Mendoza, who is also head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.
NPC said Guo's alleged involvement with unlicensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and with related human and labor trafficking has put "grave doubt" on her integrity and on her adherence to the party's principles.
NPC said Guo's alleged involvement with unlicensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and with related human and labor trafficking has put "grave doubt" on her integrity and on her adherence to the party's principles.
"The NPC cannot tolerate your dishonest and predominantly deceitful conduct which lie contrary to the party's core principles and functions," Mendoza also said in the notice.
"The NPC cannot tolerate your dishonest and predominantly deceitful conduct which lie contrary to the party's core principles and functions," Mendoza also said in the notice.
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NPC Chairman Vicente Sotto III accepted the recommendation of Tarlac Gov. Susan Yap — chair of the provincial NPC chapter — to strip Guo of her membership as she has "not presented compelling evidence which would disprove" her supposed involvement in illegal gambling operations in Bamban.
NPC Chairman Vicente Sotto III accepted the recommendation of Tarlac Gov. Susan Yap — chair of the provincial NPC chapter — to strip Guo of her membership as she has "not presented compelling evidence which would disprove" her supposed involvement in illegal gambling operations in Bamban.
"The NPC will not tolerate any unlawful acts or any appearance of impropriety by its members that will undermine the principle of our party," Sotto said in his reply to Yap's recommendation dated June 22, 2024.
"The NPC will not tolerate any unlawful acts or any appearance of impropriety by its members that will undermine the principle of our party," Sotto said in his reply to Yap's recommendation dated June 22, 2024.
"In this regard, after due consultation with the leaders and members of our party and considering the gravity of charges and on-going investigations against Mayor Guo, I hereby order the removal of Mayor Alice Guo from the roster of members of the Nationalist People's Coalition," the letter read.
"In this regard, after due consultation with the leaders and members of our party and considering the gravity of charges and on-going investigations against Mayor Guo, I hereby order the removal of Mayor Alice Guo from the roster of members of the Nationalist People's Coalition," the letter read.
Guo's removal from the NPC — one of the largest political parties in the Philippines — comes about four months before politicians who seek a post in the 2025 midterm polls file their certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections.
Guo's removal from the NPC — one of the largest political parties in the Philippines — comes about four months before politicians who seek a post in the 2025 midterm polls file their certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections.
TARLAC GOV INITIATES EXPULSION
Last week, Yap sent a letter to the NPC leadership to recommend the Bamban leader's removal from the party for her failure to present "compelling evidence which would disprove the immense documents being introduced against her" and her alleged involvement in illegal gambling operations in Tarlac.
Last week, Yap sent a letter to the NPC leadership to recommend the Bamban leader's removal from the party for her failure to present "compelling evidence which would disprove the immense documents being introduced against her" and her alleged involvement in illegal gambling operations in Tarlac.
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Guo was a former business partner of several Chinese and Singaporean fugitives who ran a massive Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) company in a property she owned in Bamban.
Guo was a former business partner of several Chinese and Singaporean fugitives who ran a massive Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) company in a property she owned in Bamban.
Guo said that she has divested from the group and has sold the property to a businessman, but recent investigations showed that the electric bill of the illegal gambling hub was still under her name.
Guo said that she has divested from the group and has sold the property to a businessman, but recent investigations showed that the electric bill of the illegal gambling hub was still under her name.
A Senate panel earlier questioned her Filipino citizenship after Guo said that her birth certificate was only registered when she was a teenager and that she had no school diplomas to present, claiming that she grew up and was homeschooled in a hog farm.
A Senate panel earlier questioned her Filipino citizenship after Guo said that her birth certificate was only registered when she was a teenager and that she had no school diplomas to present, claiming that she grew up and was homeschooled in a hog farm.
Yap underscored that while the NPC is "not in any position to make declarations regarding her citizenship" questions on Guo's citizenship cannot be ignored especially after officials alleged that her real identity might be "Guo Hua Ping," a Chinese national who entered the Philippines several years ago.
Yap underscored that while the NPC is "not in any position to make declarations regarding her citizenship" questions on Guo's citizenship cannot be ignored especially after officials alleged that her real identity might be "Guo Hua Ping," a Chinese national who entered the Philippines several years ago.
"The mystery of her citizenship, further, has clouded her qualification to be a member of our Party," the governor said.
"The mystery of her citizenship, further, has clouded her qualification to be a member of our Party," the governor said.
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"If the evidence being presented, tending to show that Mayor Guo is 'Guo Hua Ping,' is proven to be true, it would then appear that there was deception from her end when she ran for public office," she said.
"If the evidence being presented, tending to show that Mayor Guo is 'Guo Hua Ping,' is proven to be true, it would then appear that there was deception from her end when she ran for public office," she said.
In May, the NPC forged an alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) for the 2025 midterm elections.
In May, the NPC forged an alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) for the 2025 midterm elections.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier placed Guo and several other officials under preventive suspension after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) filed graft charges citing findings of serious illegal acts committed by the local chief.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier placed Guo and several other officials under preventive suspension after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) filed graft charges citing findings of serious illegal acts committed by the local chief.
The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Presidential Anti- Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) also filed a qualified human trafficking case against Mayor Guo, linking her to the grand conspiracy to commit labor trafficking of around 500 foreign POGO workers.
The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Presidential Anti- Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) also filed a qualified human trafficking case against Mayor Guo, linking her to the grand conspiracy to commit labor trafficking of around 500 foreign POGO workers.
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