MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec)`will proceed with its scheduled investigation on dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to determine probable cause for material representation in her certificate of candidacy (CoC) in 2022, claiming that she was a Filipino citizen.

Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Wednesday that the dismissal order of the Office of the Ombudsman against Guo for grave misconduct will not affect the preliminary investigation to be conducted by the Comelec Law Department for material misrepresentation, an election offense.

"Our case shall proceed no matter what," added Garcia.

Also, the poll chief pointed out that no special election would be held in Bamban, saying that the incumbent vice mayor will succeed Guo as defined under the rule of succession.

"Because she was elected and proclaimed [and] has served as mayor, if she is eventually removed as mayor because of the decision of the Ombudsman, except when there is a restraining order from the High Court, she would be succeeded by the vice mayor by virtue of the rule on succession," Garcia said.