The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it cannot stop controversial Bamban Mayor Alice Guo from seeking reelection in the coming 2025 national and local elections.
Poll chairman George Garcia said unless a local official was convicted of a crime, they could still run for public office.
“If a local official is suspended, that is not a final conviction or judgment in a case. She (Guo) can still run in the polls,” Garcia said.
He said other charges can be filed against her, but the poll chief said he doesn’t want to preempt any case that may be filed against her.
“As for us, if ever, we would accept her Certificate of Candidacy,” he said.
Garcia earlier said Guo may face perjury charges if proven that she misdeclared herself as a Filipino citizen.
The Comelec chairman said the poll body only requires aspiring candidates to submit a certificate of candidacy, in which they declare that they are Filipino citizens.
The poll body presumes the declaration of aspiring candidates is true until a disqualification or cancellation of candidacy case is filed by a registered voter, he added.