Ibinasura ng Office of the Ombudsman ang inihain ni Mayor Alice Guo na motion for reconsideration 'with urgent motion to lift preventive suspension' kaugnay sa pagkakasangkot nito sa iligal na Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) sa Bamban, Tarlac.
Matatandaang isinailalim ng Ombudsman si Guo at dalawa pang local officials ng Bamban na sina Bamban Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) officer Edwin Campo at Municipal Legal Officer Adden Sigua kasunod ng isinampang reklamo ng katiwalian ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Petisyong kanselahin birth certificate ni Alice Guo, inihain ng OSG
BASAHIN: Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, sinuspinde ng Ombudsman
Matapos naman masuspinde agad na naghain ng motion for reconsideration ang kampo ni Guo, na siyang ibinasura Ombubdsman no’ng Hunyo 18.
BASAHIN: Matapos masuspinde: Mayor Alice Guo, umapela sa Ombudsman
Isinapubliko ng Ombudsman ang desisyon nitong Martes, Hunyo 25, at sinabing wala silang nakikitang dahilan para i-reconsider ang anim na buwang preventive suspension kay Guo at sa dalawang local officials.
"This Office only deems it prudent to preventively suspend respondents Guo, Campo and Sigua given their undeniable hand in the operation of Baofu and Zun Yuan," saad ng Ombudsman.
"After due consideration of the factual circumstances of the instant case, this Office finds no compelling reason to reconsider and lift the Order of preventive suspension of respondents Guo, Campo and Sigua while the case against them is pending adjudication,” dagdag pa nito.
Binigyang-diin ng Ombudsman na mayroon silang sufficient grounds “to hold that the evidence against respondents Guo, Ocampo, and Sigua is strong at this time."
Sinabi rin nito na hindi “penalty” ang naturang preventive suspension kundi ito’y isang preventive measure lamang.
"It is well to stress that a preventive suspension is not a penalty but is merely a 'preventive measure, a preliminary step in an administrative investigation; the purpose thereof is to prevent the accused from using his position and the powers and prerogative of his office to influence potential witnesses or to tamper with records which maybe vital in the protection of the case against him,'" anang Ombudsman.
Samantala, inalis na rin si Guo sa kaniyang kinabibilangang partidong politikal dahil sa mga kasong isinampa laban sa kaniya gayundin ang pagkuwestyon sa kaniyang tunay na nasyonalidad.
