No prisoner-swap between PH, Indonesia for Alice Guo — Marcos

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said there would be no prisoner-swap between the Philippines and Indonesia following the arrest of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

Speaking to Palace reporters, Marcos explained that there was no official request from the Indonesian government for a prisoner swap.

''Wala namang nag-swap. Walang swap,'' Marcos said.

[There was no swap.]

''There was... because lumabas sa isang article sa Indonesia na dapat mag-swap pero hindi official 'yun because an article came out in Indonesia suggesting a swap but it was never official],'' he added.

Marcos pointed out that the coordination with Indonesian authorities as regards Guo's arrest was very intricate and sensitive. He mentioned that his trips to Indonesia have helped him gain friends who helped in the arrest process.

''Kinakausap natin ang mga kaibigan sa Indonesia. Buti na lang marami tayong naging kaibigan na dahil sa pagpunta-punta ko sa mga iba’t ibang bansa...  Indonesia being one of them at naging malapit kami ni President Jokowi... naging bahagi 'yun kahit na hindi ganoon kasimple ang pag-transfer,'' Marcos said.

[We talked with our friends from Indonesia. It's fortunate that we made friends because of our foreign trips, Indonesia being one of them. I got close to President Jokowi ... it became a factor considering that it's not a simple transfer.]

Indonesian authorities arrested Guo in Tangerang City on early Wednesday morning.

It was Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla who disclosed that the Indonesian government was supposedly requesting an exchange of prisoners in the case of Guo.

According to the report, Guo's deportation involved the request of the Jakarta police to exchange her with drug suspect Gregor Johan Haas.

Haas was arrested on May 15 in Bogo, Cebu by the Bureau of Immigration pursuant to the Red Notice issued by Interpol. He is facing charges for engaging in smuggling drugs, a crime punishable with death in Indonesia.

Guo left the country in July despite her name being on the immigration lookout bulletin.

She arrived in the Philippines a few minutes after 1 a.m. on Friday aboard a private plane at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News