MANILA — The Ombudsman’s preventive suspension order against Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo has “no effect” on the Office of the Solicitor General’s (OSG) own investigation into the controversial politician's background, according to Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra.

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He explained that the OSG is looking at other complaints against Guo, including whether there is legal basis to file a quo warranto case against the embattled Mayor.

A quo warranto case questions the validity and legality of someone holding a certain position.

"We're looking at a different angle... So, walang effect, except probably, kung mawawalan si Mayor Guo ng control over the evidence that may be available in her office because she'll be suspended preventively. And that's the purpose of preventive suspension. Para maiwasan ‘yung pagtago niya ng ebidensya kung mayroon man siyang intention to do it,” Guevarra said in an interview with the media on Monday afternoon.

(There is no effect except Mayor Guo's control over evidence that may be in her office)

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Guo is facing investigations after being linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation complex in Bamban, which was raided last March and where authorities found evidence of human trafficking, serious illegal detention, physical abuse, and even torture.

“We're not looking only at a quo warranto petition with the objective of ousting her. Kasi, there may be some other complaints that we need to file first before going into a quo warranto petition," Guevarra, a former justice secretary, said.

He said the OSG might not be able to raise the question of Guo's citizenship — her father is a Chinese national and she is estranged from her mother, whom she says is Filipino — without considering other legal remedies first. 

The office may also question the validity of her office, "not only of citizenship or the lack of it, but on other grounds like residency, or literacy, or disqualifications according to the Election Code,” he added.

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CHALLENGING PROBE

Guevarra admitted though that they encountered challenges in gathering evidence for the case.

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“There seems to be a lot of conflicting information, if not disinformation. So, we need to be able to discern what evidence will be competent enough to hold before a court of law,” he said.

According to Guevarra, Guo's citizenship was the "most important critical question" that they have to clarify.

“But we need to look at so many documents like her birth certificate, the fact of late registration, the nationality of her parents, and so forth and so on. Because all of those matters will have a bearing on her citizenship. And that's what we're trying to find out,” Guevarra said.

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He added that his office already has a lot of information on Guo but that other government agencies might still turn up pieces of evidence, and that could take time.

“So, we're still into that process and I hope you will bear with us… Timeline is as soon as possible,” the Solicitor General noted.

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