Indonesia to deport Alice Guo to PH, official says

MANILA/JAKARTA — Indonesia will deport to the Philippines dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo who is accused of ties to criminal syndicates and money-laundering which could reach billions of pesos, Jakarta's law minister said on Wednesday.

Guo, also known as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, is wanted by the Senate for refusing to appear before a congressional investigation into the alleged criminal ties.

Guo, who says she is a natural-born Philippine citizen, has denied the accusations, calling them "malicious."

The Indonesian minister said Guo would be deported to the Philippines, but the timing of her return had yet to be fixed.

"(The timing) depends on the police investigation results," the minister, Supratman Andi Agtas, told Reuters.

Guo was arrested along with a Chinese monk and was helped by a former Chinese police officer during her escape from the Philippines, Supratman said, but gave no details.

Guo's legal counsel, Attorney Stephen David, said their team trusts that their client will "demonstrate her courage and resilience in the face of adversity and in properly answering the charges and accusations against her."

He reminded the public that unless proven otherwise, Alice Guo is innocent.

"Furthermore, as guaranteed by the 1987 Constitution, she deserves to be represented by a counsel of her choice and has the right to prove her innocence before the courts of law," David said.

The lawyer urged the public to refrain from making crude and malicious comments and baseless accusations as all matters related to their client will be ventilated and answered in the proper forum and before courts of competent jurisdiction.

"Rest assured that as officers of the court and as the counsel for Alice L. Guo, we strictly abide by our oath and the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) and demonstrate the highest respect for the law of the land," he added.

David also expressed gratitude and relief regarding the safe apprehension of the dismissed Mayor noting that they were very concerned about their safety. 

Authorities in Manila, including Justice and Immigration officials, had earlier confirmed Guo's arrest in Tangerang, near the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

"The close co-operation between our two governments has made this arrest possible," Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a statement, adding that Guo's return was being finalized on Wednesday.

"The arm of the law is long and it will reach you," he said, warning that wrongdoers' efforts to escape justice would prove futile.

After her return, Guo, who cut her hair short in an attempt at disguise, will be handed to law enforcement and then the Senate, Jaime Santiago, director of the National Bureau of Investigation, told a press conference.

Philippine law enforcement agencies, including the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), last month jointly filed multiple counts of money laundering against Guo and 35 others with the Justice Department.

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Deputy Director Adrian Arpon said that the cases involved around P7 billion.

Guo ran for office as a Philippine citizen but her fingerprints were later found to match those of a Chinese national, Guo Hua Ping.

Removed from office as mayor of Bamban town in the province of Tarlac, Guo fled the country in July, traveling on her Philippine passport to neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, before going to Indonesia in August, the anti-crime agency says.

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

The Senate launched an investigation in May after a casino raid in Bamban in March uncovered what law enforcement officials said were scams run from a facility built on land she partly owned.

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

— Reuters with RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News