Alice Guo still unsure if she'll seek reelection in 2025

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo on Thursday said she has yet to decide whether or not she will seek reelection in the 2025 midterm elections.

"Your honor, as of the moment po, wala pa po akong definite na decision for that po (I have no definite decision on that yet)," Guo said when asked by La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V if she would run again as Bamban mayor next year.

Guo on Thursday attended for the first time the hearing of the four committees of the House of Representatives, which has been investigating crimes linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), drug war deaths, and illegal drug trade in the country.

Pressed by Ortega if she would still run as mayor even without the issues she is currently facing, she said, "Your honor, hindi ko pa talaga 'yan napagisipan po (I haven't really thought about that)."

Guo, however, said members of her slate during the 2022 elections would still seek to extend their terms next year.

She added that she has not been communicating a lot with her vice mayor and councilors even before she escaped the Philippines.

The filing of certificate of candidacy for the May 2025 midterm polls is scheduled from Oct. 1 to 8, 2024.

The dismissed mayor, who is facing human trafficking and money laundering complaints, is being investigated due to her supposed links to a raided POGO hub in Pampanga.

She was able to leave the country amid pending charges against her, but she was later on arrested in Indonesia earlier this month.

Last July, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a quo warranto petition before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34, seeking to declare Guo's proclamation as Bamban mayor null and void, and for her to be ousted.

Guo's camp has asked the court to dismiss the quo warranto petition.

In August, the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed and perpetually disqualified Guo from public office. — VDV, GMA Integrated News