COMELEC grants Alice Guo 10-day extension, accepts counter-affidavit

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has granted Bamban Mayor Alice Guo another 10-day extension until September 12, 2024, to file her counter-affidavit for a subpoena filed against her for alleged material misrepresentation in the 2022 elections.

Guo's legal counsel submitted the counter-affidavit on Thursday at around 1 p.m., just before the final deadline set by COMELEC, where Guo insisted on the validity of her successful candidacy and asked the poll body to dismiss the case against her.

COMELEC Chairman George Garcia confirmed the submission and denied that the commission was singling out Guo, noting that several other candidates have also been recommended for misrepresentation charges.

The Comelec law department will submit its recommendations on Guo's case to the Comelec en banc next week, with a decision expected shortly thereafter.

Guo faces complaints of human trafficking, undesirability, and misrepresentation under Philippine immigration laws, as well as 87 counts of money laundering involving around P7 billion related to raided POGO hubs in Bamban and Porac.