The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has allowed, for the final time, an extension for the filing of a counter-affidavit to the material misrepresentation case versus dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
COMELEC Chair George Garcia stated that the commission’s law department has only permitted Guo’s camp 10 calendar days more.
“Dapat natapos first extension ng Sept. 2. Humingi sila 15 days. Ten days binigay ng law department namin, Sept. 12 dapat deadline niya,” said Garcia.
(The first extension ended on September 2. They asked for 15 days. Our law department granted 10 days, so September 12 is her deadline.)
The poll body’s Law Department Director Maria Norina Casingal declared in an order from September 9 that this was to be the final extension, a move which Garcia understood.
“Sa isang preliminary investigation, kahit ordinaryong kaso, iyon ay pinagbibigyan sapagkat kasong kriminal ang hinaharap ng tao. Again, binibigyan natin ng due process at yan naman ay ginagarantiya ng saligang batas,” the COMELEC Chair said.
(In a preliminary investigation, even for ordinary cases, this is granted as the person faces a criminal case. Again, we enable the due processes, which is guaranteed by the Constitution.)
COMELEC filed the material misrepresentation on August 6, stemming from alleged dishonesty in her 2022 certificate of candidacy.
On August 13, Guo was served the COMELEC’s subpoena at the Mayor’s Office in the Bamban Municipal Hall. She was also required to file a counter-affidavit.
The first request for an extension was for 10 days, or until September 10, which was given. Her second request was denied.
