MANILA – Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo has been arrested in Indonesia over a month after her alleged escape from the Philippines, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
According to Justice secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, he was informed by Indonesian counterparts that Guo was arrested in Tangerang City in the province of Banten late Tuesday night.
“According to Senior Superintendent Audie Latuheru of the Indonesian Police, Ms. Guo was apprehended at 11:58 p.m. on September 3, 2024,” Remulla said on Wednesday.
He added: “The arrest of Alice Guo is a testament to the tireless efforts of our law enforcement agencies and the strength of international cooperation in bringing fugitives to justice.”
Remulla further said that the Justice department will ensure that all legal processes are followed to hold the former mayor accountable for any crimes committed.
The Office of the Ombudsman recently dismissed the controversial mayor from service for grave misconduct with forfeiture of all her retirement benefits as well as perpetual disqualification from public office.
According to the Ombudsman, Guo “remained to be the real, true, and actual President of Baofu (Corporation)” and stood to benefit from the continued operations of the raided POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operator) hub in her locality.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) also filed a tax evasion complaint against Guo as she failed to pay P500,000 in taxes for her alleged sale of her shares in the Baofu Corporation.
Guo is also facing a human trafficking complaint in relation to the raided POGO hub before the Department of Justice, while a petition seeking to remove Guo from office was also filed before a Manila court.
News of Guo’s arrest came less than two weeks after Indonesian authorities arrested her alleged companion Cassandra Li Ong and sister Shiela in Batam, Indonesia. The two have been brought back to the Philippines.
Guo allegedly left the Philippines on July 18, according to Sen. Risa Hontiveros, with Bureau of Immigration officials confirming that the former mayor evaded border controls to avoid detection.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., for his part, thanked the Indonesian authorities for their role in arresting Guo as he guaranteed that the dismissed mayor would be entitled to all legal protections due her under Philippine laws.
“I congratulate all law enforcement personnel who made this apprehension possible,” Marcos said. “The public may not know the intricate details of this mission that you have successfully accomplished, but on their behalf, accept my thanks.”
The Chief Executive also said the arrest of Guo should serve as a warning to those attempting to evade justice in the country that the arm of the law is long.
“Such is an exercise in futility,” President Marcos said. “The arm of the law is long and it will reach you.”
Meanwhile, Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said they are now coordinating with Indonesian immigration authorities to expedite Guo’s possible return to the Philippines at the soonest possible time.
“We are anticipating her return to the Philippines soon,” Tansingco said. “She shall be entitled to all legal protections due her under the laws of the land, and pursuant to our commitment to the rule of law.”
“But we will not allow this to prolong the resolution of the case, whose outcome will be a victory for the Filipino people,” he added.
Upon her arrival in the country, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will turn over Guo’s custody to the Senate due to her pending arrest warrant, according to Hontiveros.
“Sabi ng NBI pagkatapos siyang i-process nila at Bureau of Immigration ay itu-turn over siya sa atin sa Senado,” Hontiveros said. “Senado ang may standing warrant laban kay Guo.”
Guo was cited in contempt and ordered arrested by the Senate on July 13 after she repeatedly failed to attend its investigation on her alleged links to POGOs.
The House of Representatives are also planning to invite Guo in their ongoing quad-committee hearing to shed light on the connection of POGO to the “war on drugs” during the Duterte administration./PN
