In a landmark decision, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 34 has ruled that former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo—also known as Guo Hua Ping—is a Chinese citizen, thereby disqualifying her from holding or running for public office in the Philippines.
The decision, dated June 27 and spanning 67 pages, granted the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG). The OSG questioned Guo’s citizenship status, asserting she was never eligible to serve as an elected official. A quo warranto petition is a legal procedure used to challenge the legitimacy of an individual’s occupation of a public position.
“Having established that Guo Hua Ping is undoubtedly a Chinese citizen, the Court concludes that respondent is not only disqualified to hold the position of Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, but also from running for the said position in the first place,” the court declared. “Respondent Guo Hua Ping a.k.a. Alice Leal Guo is nothing more but a usurper of the Office of the Mayor.”
The ruling emphasized that Guo’s disqualification is retroactive and applies from the time she filed her Certificate of Candidacy. The court found that Guo’s documentation, including her Philippine passport and birth certificate, failed to establish valid Filipino citizenship. Evidence showed she was born to Chinese nationals Guo Jian Zhong and Lin Wenyi, both holders of Chinese passports.
Furthermore, the court asserted that Guo’s assumption of office, despite winning the election, did not legitimize her position nor nullify her ineligibility.
Guo is also facing a non-bailable charge of qualified human trafficking. She was arrested in 2024 in connection with the alleged illegal activities of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) operating within her jurisdiction. Despite her claims that she merely leased property to the group, the controversy has intensified scrutiny of her public role.
In a separate administrative case, the Office of the Ombudsman in August 2024 ordered Guo’s dismissal from public service for grave misconduct.