SC justice says Bamban mayor Filipino based on maternal citizenship

Retired Supreme Court Justice Vicente Mendoza stated on Monday that Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac is Filipino based on the nationality of her mother, Amelia Leal Guo, as per the 1987 Constitution.

Mendoza emphasized during a report on '24 Oras' that having a Filipino mother under the constitution is sufficient for citizenship without needing to formally elect it.

Guo's lawyer Stephen David has said they will present photographs of her mother in the next hearing to prove her Filipino nationality, and he hopes her mother appears to take a DNA test.

Mendoza raised concerns about national security and questioned whether Guo's mother is genuinely Filipino or if she was planted for citizenship purposes.

The Office of the Solicitor General is investigating potential grounds to file a quo warranto proceeding against Guo, questioning her eligibility as mayor.

Records show that neither of Guo's parents have birth records with the Philippine Statistics Authority, raising questions about her mother's nationality and legitimacy.