Alice Guo (Facebook)
Dismissed mayor Alice L. Guo of Bamban, Tarlac appeared at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and submitted her counter-affidavit to refute the perjury and falsification complaint filed against her.
The charges arose from Guo's filing of her counter-affidavit last Aug. 17 on the non-bailable qualified human trafficking charges filed against her in connection with the operation of Zun Yuan Technology Center, a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) that was raided and shut down by the government in Bamban town.
The counter-affidavit on human trafficking was signed by Guo and notarized by lawyer Elmer Galicia last Aug. 14.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed the complaint against Guo and several other persons in connection with the counter-affidavit after learning that she fled the country last July.
Guo returned to the Philippines last September after she was arrested in Indonesia.
Under the NBI complaint, Guo and her co-respondents have been accused of having committed falsification, perjury, and obstruction of justice, and using falsified documents.
Named co-resondents in the complaint were lawyer Galicia, Dante Catapay, Cheryl Medina, Catherine Salazar and Geraldine Pepito.
Lawyer Stephen David, Guo’s legal counsel, told reporters that the counter-affidavit was filed before the panel of prosecutors conducting the preliminary investigation (PI) of the complaint filed by the NBI last Oct. 3.
“Dapat kasi magpirma ka sa harap ng lawyer. Sa harap ng notary public kasi susumpa ka. Kung wala ‘yung tao hindi dapat ninonotaryo ‘yan (You only sign the counter-affidavit before the lawyer. You have to swear before the notary public the authenticity of the counter-affidavit. If the person who signed the counter-affidavit is not present, the document should have not been notarized),” explained David.
Despite this, the lawyer stated: “Wala akong nakikitang falsification doon (I don’t see any falsification taking place).”
“S’ya naman ang pumirma. Ngayon kung sino ang nagnotaryo ‘yun dapat ang tanunngin natin (Guo signed the document. It should be the person who notarized the document who should be asked),” he pointed out.
David explained the Guo was not present when the document was notarized by Galicia.
Amid allegations that Guo gave instructions to other persons to have the document notarized, the lawyer said: “Hindi naman porke inutusan mo ‘yun na yung kaso doon kasi ang kailangan d’yan ‘yung act talaga na nagfalsify ka ng notarization mo (giving instructions does not mean anything because the actual act of falsification of the notarization is what matters).”
“Hindi mo s’ya pwede gawing liable doon (Guo is not liable in the complaint),” he also said.
Guo's counter-affidavit was rejected by Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors who conducted the preliminary investigation. The non-bailable criminal case has been filed against her before the Pasig City regional trial court (RTC).
Guo who is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail.