Alice Guo says she will no longer seek reelection in Eleksyon 2025

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on Tuesday said she will no longer seek reelection in the 2025 elections amid the cases filed against her.

"Sa ngayon hindi po (not for the moment)," Guo told a Senate hearing when asked to confirm her lawyer's statement last week that she will run again for mayor in Bamban.

Guo said she would just concentrate on facing all the allegations raised against her first.

"Your honor, haharapin ko po muna 'yung mga accusations po sa akin, linisin ko po muna 'yung sarili ko po. And para maging fair din po para sa mga constituents ko po na minamahal ko po," Guo said.

(I will face the accusations against me first. I will clear my name first an so that it will be fair to my beloved constituents.)

In a statement sent by Stephen David, Guo's legal counsel, the dismissed mayor asked her former constituents' understanding on her decision not to seek the highest post in the Tarlac town.

"Alam ko po marami sa inyo ang nagnanais na ako ay humabol bilang Mayor sa darating na 2025 sa ating bayan. Sana po ay maunawaan ninyo ako sa aking naging desisyon na ipagpaliban ito," Guo said.

(I know that many of you wish for me to run as mayor in the upcoming election. I hope you'd understand my decision not to push my candidacy.)

"Hindi po ibig sabihin nito ay iniwan ko kayo, maaring sa ibang panahon, sa ibang oras at sa ibang pagkakataon ay mabigyan ninyo ako ng pagkakataong makasama kayong muli," she added.

(This doesn't mean I'm leaving you behind; perhaps at another time, on a different occasion, and under different circumstances, you'll give me the chance to be with you again.)

She also addressed the members of the Senate and Congress, saying she will choose to die in the Philippines despite allegations that she is a Chinese national.

"Pinagdududahan ninyo man na pinanganak ako dito, wala po akong magagawa doon, pero pwede kong patunayan sa inyo na gusto kong dito na ako mamamatay at dito ko pipiliing mamatay. Kaya ko ring ipaglaban ang Pilipinas kahit kapalit pa ang buhay ko," she said.

(You might doubt that I was born here, I can't do anything about that, but I can prove to you that I want to die here and I will choose to die here. I can fight for the Philippines, even if it means sacrificing my own life.)

"Hindi po ako spy! Mahal ko po ang bansa natin!" she added.

It was David who said last week that Guo will file her certificate of candidacy (COC) on the last day of the filing period for the May 2025 midterm elections.

Guo, currently detained at the Pasig City Jail, is facing charges for graft, qualified human trafficking, money laundering, and tax evasion for her alleged involvement in the illegal activities Philippines Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in her town.

She was dismissed from her post as Bamban mayor in August.

The Department of Foreign Affairs canceled Guo's Philippine passport after it was found that her biometrics match those of Chinese passport holder Guo Hua Ping in the files of the National Bureau of Investigation. —KBK/ VAL, GMA Integrated News