Suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo has been removed from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) following allegations of involvement in illegal POGO operations in Tarlac.
Tarlac Governor and NPC Provincial Chairperson Susan Yap endorsed Guo's removal.
NPC Chairman, Vicente Sotto III, signed a letter directing NPC Secretary General Marl Llandro Mendoza to implement the decision. The letter emphasized that the NPC does not tolerate illegal activities.
Despite this, the Tarlac Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said Guo could still run in the 2025 midterm elections unless a decision is made on her case.
"Kahit siya ay tinanggal as NPC member, puwede siyang mag-file independently, or kung mayroon siyang magiging party, before filing ng COC," Atty. Fernando Cot-Om, Tarlac Provincial Election Supervisor, said.
Cot-om said if decisions on her cases are released, it could impact her candidacy.
"Kapag hindi pa lumabas ang decision sa mga cases, pwede syang tumakbo, i-declare lang nya ang mga cases niya. Sakali namang may decision na kahit walang mag-file ng party, ang COMELEC pwedeng magsabi na ma-disqualify siya," he said.
ELECTRICITY
Meanwhile, Tarlac Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TARLECO) II said the temporary electricity connection for buildings on Baofu Land and Development Inc. was issued under Guo's name.
Baofu Land Development Inc. owns the land where the POGO hub sits, housing over 36 buildings, a swimming pool, and luxury cars.
They said temporary connections do not require the owner to be the applicant but permanent connections do.
In December 2023, TARELCO II said they issued a letter to Guo to apply for a permanent connection.
Guo's camp has yet to release a statement.
Guo was suspended preventively following anti-graft complaints filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) related to an illegal POGO hub operation in Bamban.
On May 21, 2024, Guo issued an official statement saying she does not have any involvement in the illegal operations of POGO and is not a spy for any country.
