Ombudsman suspends Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and two others.
ALICE GUO – The Office of the Ombudsman orders preventive suspension on the Bamban, Tarlac mayor and two other local government officials.
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered a preventive suspension on Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. This order was made due to her reported links with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in her municipality.
The suspension was ordered after the graft charges filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on May 24 versus the Bamban mayor. The latter issued permits to Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc.
This suspension is effective on the period of investigation until the termination for up to six months and this will not exceed this time as per the Ombudsman. The other two facing preventive suspension are Edwin Ocampo, the municipality’s business and licensing officer and Municipal Legal Officer Adenn Sigua.
As per the order issued on May 31, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said there are “sufficient grounds to preventively suspend” Guo and the two other government officials.
“[…] This Office finds sufficient grounds to preventively suspend Alice Leal Guo, Edwin Ocampo, and Adenn Sigua considering: that there is strong evidence showing their guilt […] that their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them,” the order states.
Last week, the DILG filed grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service to the three officials.
Meanwhile, regarding the background of the mayor, Guo’s DNA test to verify her nationality is no longer feasible as her parents Lin Wen Yi and her father, Guo Jian Zhong, have already left the Philippines based on the Bureau Of Immigration. Lin Wen Yi is the mayor’s suspected biological mother.
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