Alice Guo arrested in Indonesia, PAOCC says

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo has been arrested in Indonesia, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said on Wednesday.

This was confirmed by PAOCC chief Gilbert Cruz, according to a post on X by GMA Integrated News' Mariz Umali.

PAOCC Chief Gilbert Cruz confirms Alice Guo arrested in Indonesia. @gmanews

— Mariz Umali (@marizumali) September 3, 2024

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Guo was nabbed in Tangerang City early Wednesay morning.

"I was just informed by the NBI that Guo Hua Ping (also known as Alice Guo), was arrested in Tangerang City, Indonesia, at 01:30 on September 4, 2024," Gatchalian said in a message sent to reporters.

"She is currently in the custody of the Indonesian Police at Jatanras Mabes Polri," he added.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said their counterpart informed them of Guo's arrest around 1 a.m.

"Hawak na ng Indonesian police," Santiago said.

(She is under the custody of Indonesian police.)

Alice Guo was arrested by Indonesian police on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.

Asked if Guo was with her brother Wesley Guo at the time of arrest, the NBI chief said the information they received was only about the mayor.

At a press briefing, Santiago said Guo cut her hair to conceal her identity.

In a separate interview on Unang Balita on Wednesday, Santiago said they do not have details yet as to the manner of arrest.

"Ang report na dumating sa amin, nahuli na raw ng Indonesian police kaninang madaling araw...Immediately nakikipag-coordinate na tayo para mai-turn over sa atin si Mayor Alice," Santiago said.

(The report we received is that Indonesian police arrested Guo early morning today. Immediately we are coordinating [with them] for the turnover of Mayor Alice.)

"Wala pang detalye kung paano siya nahuli. Basta ang report lang, nahuli siya ala-una ng madaling araw...Naka-detain nga po sa police ng Indonesia," he added.

(We have no details yet as to how she was arrested. The report only said she was arrested at 1 a.m... She is detained by police in Indonesia.)

"Wala pang information kay Wesley. Kay Alice pa lang po," Santiago said.

(There is no information yet about Wesley [Guo]. [The report was] only about Alice.)

He added that there are NBI operatives in Indonesia who also confirmed the arrest.

"Meron po tayong tao (NBI). Yes, kinonfirm pati na ng Immigration ng Indonesia, kinonfirm na (ang pagkahuli)," Santiago said.

(We have people there. Yes, even the Immigration of Indonesia confirmed the arrest.)

In another interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Santiago said they are seeking Guo’s return as soon as possible.

“The soonest po sir, the soonest. Kung ngayon o bukas pipilitin po natin. 'Yan po ang order sa atin ni DOJ [Department of Justice] Secretary Jesus Remulla,” he said.

(The soonest sir, the soonest. If it's today or tomorrow, we'll make it happen. That's the instruction from DOJ Secretary Remulla to us.)

According to Santiago, Guo may undergo Immigration inquest after arrival in the country.

“'Yung usual po, ang nangyayari, sa BI [Bureau of Immigration] muna for Immigration process. I-inquest siya sa Immigration violation. And then sa amin po, ipro-process naman namin with respect to criminal liability,” Santiago said.

(What usually happens first is the BI will handle the immigration process. She will undergo inquest for immigration violation. And then, on our part, we will process her with regard to criminal liability.)

“At saka lang po namin ite-turn over sa Senate (and then we will turn her over to the Senate),” he added.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in an interview on Balitanghali that they are already coordinating with Indonesian authorities regarding Guo's return to the Philippines.

“We are anticipating that we will be expecting this po siguro within the week,” Sandoval said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros' sources in Indonesia likewise confirmed the arrest of Guo.

"Kumpirmado — arestado na si Alice Guo (It is confirmed. Alice Guo was already arrested). I have independently confirmed this with my Indonesian sources as well. Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng gumawa ng paraan para siya maaresto (I am grateful to all those who made a way so she can be arrested). Terima Kasih (Thank you) to our friends in Indonesia," she said in a separate statement.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Guo's arrest should serve as a warning to those trying to evade justice in the Philippines. He also warned that those who helped Guo leave the country amid the charges she is facing will "pay the price."

Remulla, for his part, said he still suspects that some personnel of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) were involved in the departure of Guo and her siblings in July.

Remulla recalled the Pastillas scam, which allowed the illegal entry of Chinese citizens into the country. “Kaya alam natin meron talagang gumagawa niyan sa Immigration. ‘Yun ang ating tinitignan ngayon,” he said.

Legal troubles

Guo is facing a number of legal troubles in the Philippines.

READ: TIMELINE: The plots and twists of the 'Alice Guo' probe

The 33-year-old dismissed mayor was ordered arrested by the Senate in July for repeatedly failing to attend the upper chamber’s investigation into the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in her town.

Also ordered arrested by the Senate were Dennis Lacson Cunanan, Nancy Jimenez Gamo, and the mayor's alleged relatives Shiela Leal Guo, Wesley Leal Guo, Jian Zhong Guo, Seimen L. Guo, and Wenyi Lin. Shiela was arrested last month in Indonesia and is now under the custody of the Senate.

In May, the Department of Interior and Local Government filed graft charges against Guo over her reported involvement with POGO.

In June, authorities also filed a complaint against Guo and others for alleged human trafficking in connection to the raided POGO hub in Bamban. This was submitted for resolution last month.

The Office of the Solicitor General also filed a quo warranto petition against Guo.

In the 45-page petition, the OSG asked the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 34 to declare Guo’s proclamation as Bamban mayor null and void and for her to be ousted.

The OSG also filed a petition seeking to cancel the birth certificate of Guo as it said the legal requirements for late registration were not complied with, citing the absence of supporting documents.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc approved in August the recommendation of its law department to file a motu proprio complaint against Guo for material misrepresentation.

In August, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Guo for grave misconduct.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in August filed a tax evasion complaint against Guo before the DOJ. BIR Commissioner Romeo “Jun” Lumagui said that Guo failed to pay P500,000 in taxes.

A total of 87 counts of money laundering were also filed against Guo and 35 others at the DOJ on Friday about the raided POGO hubs in Bamban and Porac, Pampanga.

The embattled former public official is also facing deportation case with the BI for undesirability and possible misrepresentation as a Filipino national.

But the BI said that they have to wait for the resolution on her other cases before it can deport Guo.

“Kahit mauna po matapos o ma-conclude 'yung immigration case (Even though her immigration case would be the first one to be resolved), we would have to wait for the resolution of her other pending cases here in the Philippines before we can implement any deportation,” Sandoval explained at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.

Escape

Guo left the country in July, going first to Malaysia, then was confirmed to have been in Indonesia.

READ: TIMELINE: The escape of Alice Guo and her siblings

Her lawyer Atty. Stephen David however said he was able to talk to Guo on August 19 and the dismissed mayor then told him that she was still in the Philippines. The lawyer, however, admitted that he cannot confirm the information and has no idea where she is exactly.

During a Senate hearing last week, Shiela Guo confirmed that she, Alice Guo and Wesley Guo left the Philippines by riding several boats. —With reports from Hana Bordey, Joahna Lei Casilao, and Vince Angelo Ferreras/KG/KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News