Guo filed a counter-affidavit against perjury and forgery charges

MANILA – Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, who fired Bamban, asked prosecutors on Tuesday to dismiss charges of perjury and falsification filed against him related to a notarized document he supposedly signed while he was already out of the country.

Guo was transported by ambulance from the Pasig City Jail to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a hearing before a panel of government prosecutors.

Defense attorney Stephen David argued that Guo should not be charged with perjury or falsification because he was the one who signed the counter-affidavit filed separately against him and others on the aggravated trafficking charge.

“Siya naman pumirma doon. Pre-signed kasi ‘yan. Counterfeiting means forgery as well as counterfeiting. Ngayon kung sino ve nagnotaryo,’yun dapat ve tanungin natin “(He was the one who signed. It was signed beforehand. I don’t see any fraud there because he was the one who signed. Now we need to ask him who notarized it),” he said. .

Lawyer Elmer Galicia notarized the suspicious counter-affidavit on August 14, while Guo reportedly left the Philippines on July 18.

The suspended mayor was arrested by Indonesian authorities in early September.

Authorities insist that Guo cannot appear before a notary in person because he fled the country a month ago.

The National Bureau of Investigation had filed multiple complaints with the Department of Justice against Guo, Galicia and four others regarding the allegedly fraudulent counter-affidavit. (PNA)