Factbox: Who is Philippine Ex-Mayor Alice Guo and What We Know About Her Arrest?

By Neil Jerome Morales and Mikhail Flores

MANILA – Former mayor Alice Guo of the Philippines, who faces allegations of connections to Chinese criminal syndicates and money laundering, arrived back in Manila on Friday following her deportation from Indonesia.

Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, was apprehended in Tangerang, Indonesia, located near Jakarta, earlier this week.

Her situation has drawn significant attention across the Philippines amid rising concerns regarding Chinese activities, particularly in light of ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea involving both nations.

WHO IS ALICE GUO?

In 2022, Guo ran for mayor of Bamban, a town located north of Manila, presenting herself as a Philippine citizen. However, investigations revealed her fingerprints matched those of Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national.

The Philippine Senate initiated an investigation into Guo in May, shortly after authorities conducted a raid on a gambling establishment catering primarily to offshore Chinese clients. This operation reportedly uncovered online scams within a facility partially owned by Guo.

Guo did not attend subsequent hearings in June, citing emotional distress from her previous appearances, which led the Senate to hold her in contempt and order her arrest.

WHAT VIOLATIONS IS SHE ACCUSED OF?

In August, the Philippines’ anti-graft office removed Guo from her position as mayor due to severe misconduct linked to her purported involvement in illegal gambling activities in Bamban. The police raid on the gambling facility also revealed hundreds of trafficked workers, including foreign nationals, prompting a human trafficking complaint against her from an anti-crime commission.

Authorities subsequently filed multiple charges of money laundering against Guo and her associates last month.

Guo maintains that she is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines and has described the accusations against her as malicious, asserting her lack of awareness regarding any criminal activities.

HOW DID ALICE GUO ESCAPE THE PHILIPPINES?

According to the Philippine anti-crime agency, Guo fled the country in July, traveling through Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia using her Philippine passport. She is reported to have left the Philippines by boat, accompanied by two individuals purported to be her siblings.

HOW WAS ALICE GUO CAPTURED IN INDONESIA?

The 34-year-old former mayor was captured by Interpol Indonesia in Tangerang. Investigations revealed that a Singaporean national had assisted Guo in reserving four hotel rooms on Batam Island for three days prior to her arrest.

WHO IS GREGOR HAAS AND WHY IS HE INVOLVED IN THE CASE?

Reports suggest that Jakarta authorities requested a prisoner swap involving Australian national Gregor Johann Haas, who is currently detained in the Philippines. Haas was arrested in May in Bogo City, Cebu, due to a standing red notice from Interpol related to a criminal case in Indonesia.

Indonesian authorities have accused Haas of having connections to the Sinaloa drug cartel and attempting to smuggle over five kilograms of methamphetamine concealed within a shipment of ceramics into Indonesia.

Haas remains in detention while awaiting deportation proceedings. Philippine Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla stated that, while he has no official request regarding a prisoner swap, he is aware of such discussions in the media. He emphasized that any formal request would need to go through the foreign ministry unless he receives direct authorization to coordinate with officials in Jakarta.