DILG orders probe to revoke Mayor Guo’s authority over police

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Monday said he ordered a probe on Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for possible revocation of her authority over the police.

In a press conference, Abalos said the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) will conduct the investigation.

“I instructed NAPOLCOM to initiate proceedings for the withdrawal of the mayor's deputization,” he said.

“Ibig sabihin nito, pagkatapos namin ng imbestigasyon na ito—of course, may sufficient grounds—we will withdraw the deputization of Mayor Guo. As a consequence, all of the privileges attached thereto I revoke immediately including control and supervision of the local police,” he added.

(This means that after we finish this investigation—of course, there are sufficient grounds—we will withdraw the deputization of Mayor Guo. As a consequence, all of the privileges attached thereto I revoke immediately including control and supervision of the local police.)

Recently, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) recommended to the Ombudsman the preventive suspension of Guo.

"Based on the report, there are troubling findings of serious illegal acts which may have severe legal implications," Abalos said.

"The DILG recommended to the Ombudsman the issuance of a preventive suspension against Mayor Guo, to prevent any influence on the continuing investigations of our and other agencies," he said, adding that the department "does not have the power to directly suspend or dismiss local officials."

Abalos said the DILG created a task force last April 5 to look into Guo's alleged link to illegal activities of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in her town.

He said the task force, headed by Atty. Benjamin Zabala of DILG's Internal Audit Service, has submitted its report, and this in turn was submitted to the Ombudsman on Friday.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr on Thursday said Guo had been under investigation for some time. 

''Well, matagal na naming inimbestigahan ‘yan, kaya naman nahuli ‘yan eh," Marcos said in an ambush interview in Cagayan de Oro City.

(We've been investigating her for a long time; that's why she was caught.)

"Dahil ni-raid natin ‘yung sa Bamban at nakita natin nga ‘yung mga dokumento na kinukwestyon ngayon natin ‘yan, kung talagang totoo ‘tong mga 'to, at saka paano siya tumakbong mayor?'' Marcos said.

(We raided the place in Bamban and we saw the documents. We are now looking into these and also how she was able to run for mayor.)

On May 7, the Senate panel on women, children, family relations, and gender equality launched an investigation into the raided POGO hub in Bamban, which was allegedly involved in surveillance activities and even the hacking of several government websites.

Guo was questioned over information linking her to the operations of the scam hub, which she denied.—AOL, GMA Integrated News