Alice Guo to run for mayor in Philippines again despite Chinese spy allegations: lawyer
Her lawyer said Guo would run again, even as she faces criminal charges, espionage accusations and doubts over her citizenship
Guo’s legal counsel, Stephen David, told reporters that she would file her candidacy on Tuesday, the last day of the week-long candidate filing period for next year’s midterm elections.
David noted that the courts had not yet ruled on Guo’s cases and said she intended to run for the mayorship of Tarlac province’s Bamban town again in order to “show her love for the people” and called efforts to disqualify her “just technicalities”.
“If the people there really want her, they should be the ones to judge. The people should decide whether she is worthy to hold office in their area … she’s not being allowed to run, she’s being disqualified. But that’s not final yet,” he told reporters on Friday.
Guo was dismissed from public office after an anti-corruption court in August found her guilty of “grave misconduct” for her alleged ties to an offshore gaming operator (Pogos) in Bamban that authorities said was carrying out scam operations and human trafficking activities after the facility was raided in March.