EVIDENCE. A box of evidence in the Bamban, Tarlac human trafficking case is carried into the hearing room of the Department of Justice in Manila on Tuesday (Aug. 6, 2024). The preliminary investigations have been concluded and all cases were deemed submitted for resolution. (PNA photo by Ben Pulta)
MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday turned down the request of the lawyers of suspended Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo for more time to file a counter affidavit to refute the charges of qualified trafficking.
For the third consecutive hearing, Guo failed to personally appear during the preliminary investigation.
The case will now be decided by prosecutors on whether to lodge it before the courts on the basis solely of the complainant’s allegations, according to the DOJ.
“Kaka-conclude lang po ng preliminary investigation for today on the Porac case. Most of the respondents ay nakapag-submit ng (Preliminary investigation for the Porac case has just been concluded. Most of the respondents have submitted) counter-affidavits, and so, as far as they are concerned, the case is submitted for resolution,” DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said in a briefing after the hearing, referring to the Pampanga raid on an illegal online gaming hub in June.
“’Yung iba po, si (The others, including) Mayor Alice Guo, and three other Chinese incorporators, were not able to file, and it was decided by the panel of prosecutors not to give them anymore another chance or another extension,” he said.
Denins Cunanan, Lin Baoying and Mavielyn Rillo were granted an extension of 10 days or until Aug. 16, to file their respective counter-affidavits for various reasons.
“’Yung iba po ay wala dito sa bansa, ‘yung iba din nag-change po nag counsel and one was recently impleaded so tama lang din na bigyan sya ng extension ng (Some were not in the country, others changed counsels and one was only recently impleaded so it’s just right for an extension to be granted by the) panel of prosecutors,” Clavano said. (PNA)
