Philippine officials announced on Wednesday that they arrested a disgraced mayor wanted in the Philippines for alleged ties to Chinese criminal networks in Indonesia. They caught her after several weeks on the run. The authorities also vowed to prosecute the cases against her.
Philippine immigration authorities identified Alice Leal Guo, who fled the country in July, as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping. Her escape followed raids in her hometown that uncovered a massive scam center staffed by hundreds of people. These discoveries sparked widespread speculation about her true identity.
For months, the scandal gripped the nation. Lawmakers delved deeper into the allegations against Guo through a Senate inquiry. This investigation exposed claims of illegal gambling, money laundering, human trafficking, and fraud.
As scrutiny increased, Guo, 34, faced mounting pressure to explain how she accumulated millions in assets within just two years as a first-time politician. In response, she disappeared. Authorities believe she escaped the country through a covert network of vans and small boats.
Officials suspect Guo crossed the sea from the Philippines to Malaysia. Then, she traveled to Singapore before finally reaching Indonesia, where local police apprehended her early Wednesday morning.
Philippine authorities released a video showing Guo dressed in a baby pink pajama set and a white jacket. In the video, Indonesian authorities escort her down a staircase in Jakarta’s Tangerang City.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised law enforcement officials for Guo’s arrest in a video statement posted on Facebook.
“Let this serve as a warning to those who attempt to evade justice,” he said. “Such efforts are futile. The arm of the law is long, and it will reach you.”
Alice Guo has ties to illegal POGO operations in Bamban and Porac. She will soon face multiple charges in the Philippines.
