MANILA — The legal counsel for dismissed Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac said Wednesday they still have a "meritorious" defense despite the many government cases filed and those to be filed against his client.

Guo faces mounting cases related to her alleged involvement in the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators in her town and to her citizenship and candidacy, with the latest being a tax evasion complaint.

READ: Ombudsman orders dismissal of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo

Stephen David, Guo's legal counsel, told ANC's "Dateline Philippines" that he had been urging the embattled mayor to face the legal proceedings related to her cases, saying they have a "meritorious" defense for the accusations.

"I was really requesting her to come out because you know we need her to participate in the legal proceeding, she cannot evade… How can we present our evidence if she is not present?" David said, stressing that the mayor is still in the Philippines.

He said Guo was citing alleged threats to her life for refusing to personally appear before courts and congressional hearings, pointing out that she was accused of being a Chinese "spy" amid the supposed heated political tension in the country.

"She's too young, how can she spend the rest of her life in hiding?" he said.

DISMISSAL, TAX CASE

David said they plan to challenge his client's dismissal by "emphasizing the errors committed" by the Office of the Ombudsman.

"How can you not appreciate the merits?" he said.

The lawyer is again casting doubt on the pieces of fingerprint evidence uncovered by the government to prove Guo's Chinese nationality.

"Imagine mo 25 years ago meron bigla mga ganyang dokumento? How do you support that?" he said.

(Imagine 25 years ago, documents like that suddenly appeared? How do you support that?)

On Wednesday, the Bureau of Internal Revenue filed a P500,000 tax evasion complaint against Guo and others. 

The complaint stemmed from Guo's admission that she transferred her shares in Baofu Land Development Inc. to a certain Jack Uy.

The BIR discovered that the transfer had no capital gains tax and documentary stamp tax returns filed.

David is confident that Guo can address the tax evasion case, saying she can just pay if there is a "tax deficiency."

READ: Tax evasion complaint filed against Guo

DAVID STAYS WITH GUO

David said he would stay as Guo's counsel despite the piling of evidence and cases against her, stressing that he has "a moral obligation to defend a client regardless of my personal belief as to the guilt or innocence of the accused."

He also shared that aside from legal matters, he and Guo discuss matters "on the level of spirituality."

He quoted Guo as saying: "Ano ba ang nagawa kong kasalanan? Di naman ako nagnakaw, di naman ako nandaya, di naman ako pumatay, di naman ako nag-corrupt, but I know God is reserving me for a better purpose."

(What wrong have I done? I didn’t steal, I didn’t cheat, I didn’t kill, I didn’t corrupt, but I know God is reserving me for a better purpose.)

"Alam niya, all these things nangyayari sa buhay niya, because God has a special purpose. Pinatitibay siya ng Panginoon, inihahanda siya sa isang napakagandang buhay in the future," he added.

(She knows that all these things are happening in her life because God has a special purpose. The Lord is strengthening her, preparing her for a very beautiful life in the future.)