NPC removes Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from party
The Nationalist People's Coalition, led by former Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, has decided to remove controversial Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac as a member of the political party.
This action comes in response to a petition submitted by Tarlac Governor Susan Yap on Monday, June 17, urging the mayor's removal from the party's list of members.
On Saturday, June 22, Sotto listed several issues involving the mayor, including a suspension order by the Ombudsman due to administrative complaints from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for graft.
Additionally, there is a human trafficking case filed by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission (PAOOC), linking her to a "grand conspiracy to commit labor trafficking of around 500 foreign POGO workers."
Sotto stated that the NPC would "not tolerate any unlawful acts or any appearance of impropriety" by its members that undermine the party's principles. Hence, the former senator ordered Guo removed from the NPC's roster of members.
"In this regard, after due consultation with the leaders and members of our party and considering the gravity of charges and ongoing investigations against Mayor Guo, I hereby order the removal of Mayor Alice Guo from the roster of a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition."
The former senator also instructed the party's Secretary General, Mark Llandro Mendoza, to immediately implement the said order and inform Guo of her removal.
During the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Sotto mentioned that Guo joined the NPC after winning the 2022 elections. However, he emphasized that her party affiliation does not exempt her from adhering to the party's principles.
"If she is really involved in POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators) activities, human trafficking, then it will escalate in the party, like Teves, we will expel her," Sotto said during that time.
Guo is currently being investigated due to her alleged links to POGO companies in her town.
Hongsheng Gaming Technology Incorporated was raided in February 2023 and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated in March this year. They're accused of trafficking and scams.
She was questioned as to why she was unaware of such alleged illegal activities.
During a Senate hearing, Guo faced inquiries regarding her background to verify her nationality. Senators raised concerns, questioning whether Guo could be a Chinese spy attempting to infiltrate the Philippine government.
Guo has since maintained that she's Filipino and has denied having ties to POGOs in Bamban and being a spy.
She also said that she was raised on the farm of her father, was homeschooled and that her maid of a mother left her.
