Exchange request could delay Guo’s return

(UPDATES) The return of sacked Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo to the Philippines may be delayed due to a request from the Indonesian government for a prisoner exchange, Justice Minister Crispin Remulla said after confirmed reports that Guo had been arrested in Jakarta.

Remulla said Indonesian authorities wanted to exchange Guo for high-ranking drug suspect Gregor Johan Haas. Haas was arrested in Bogo, Cebu on May 15 after the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) issued a red notice following a criminal complaint filed against him by Indonesian authorities.

Remulla said the prisoner exchange could complicate Guo’s return to the Philippines.

Haas is considered a “high-profile fugitive” because he is allegedly a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, an international crime syndicate based in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.

Indonesian authorities have implicated him in an attempt to smuggle a shipment of floor ceramics containing more than five kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride (also known as shabu) into Indonesia in December.

Earlier on Wednesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that he would hold accountable those who helped Guo flee the country.

Speaking to reporters in Quezon City, the president said the government would press charges against those who helped Guo escape. Guo is accused of human trafficking and links to Chinese organized crime.

“All those involved in assisting Alice Guo to leave the Philippines illegally as a fugitive from justice will surely pay the price,” Marcos said.

“So you ask yourself, whose head will roll? We will not just fire them, we will press charges against them. What they have done is against the law and against all interests of the Philippine justice system,” he added.

However, the president declined to name those who might be involved, saying: “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Marcos made the statement after the arrest of Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, at around 1 a.m. on September 4 in Tangerang City in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Guo is currently in the custody of Indonesian police at Jatanras Mabes Polri.

The sacked mayor has been on the run since being linked to a Chinese-run online gambling hub where hundreds of people were forced to carry out scams or face the risk of torture.

Authorities accused Guo of being involved in the illegal operation – and of posing as a Chinese citizen in order to run for political office.

The Philippines has requested Guo’s extradition, and Manila’s immigration authorities and the National Bureau of Investigation are working with Indonesian authorities to secure her return “as soon as possible,” said Jaime Santiago, director of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Guo is also wanted by the Senate for refusing to attend hearings about her alleged ties to fraudulent farm operations in Bamban.

She is accused of corruption, money laundering and human trafficking in connection with the raid on the fraudulent farm in Bamban.

Remulla praised Guo’s arrest as “testament to the tireless efforts of our law enforcement agencies and the strength of international cooperation in bringing fugitives to justice.”

In a video message, the president assured the public that Guo’s case would be resolved quickly.

“This should serve as a warning to all those who try to evade justice: This is a futile exercise. The arm of the law is long and will reach you. This government will continue to fulfill its duty to enforce the rule of law,” Marcos said.

“Miss Guo is entitled to all the legal protections she is entitled to under the laws of the country and our commitment to the rule of law. But we will not allow this to delay the resolution of the case, the outcome of which will be a victory for the Filipino people,” he added.

The President praised the Philippine and Indonesian authorities for working tirelessly to arrest Guo.

“I congratulate all law enforcement officers who made this arrest possible. The public may not know the details of this mission that you successfully completed, but on their behalf, I want to express my gratitude to you,” Marcos said.

“The Philippines also thanks the Indonesian government for its assistance in this matter. The close cooperation between our two governments made this arrest possible,” he added.

The president said the government is currently making final preparations for Guo’s return to the country.

Marcos had earlier said that an investigation into the departure of the sacked Bamban mayor was underway and that “heads would roll.” He pointed out that Guo’s escape “exposed the corruption that undermines our justice system and erodes public confidence.”

Guo faces charges for her alleged involvement in illegal Philippine offshore gambling operators (POGOs) and questions are being raised about her citizenship.

Although Guo was the subject of an immigration wanted bulletin due to the ongoing investigation, he was able to leave the country on July 18.

Guo was reportedly on his way to Malaysia, arriving in Singapore on July 21 and continuing on to Indonesia on August 18.

Her sister Shiela and her business partner Cassandra Li Ong were previously arrested in Indonesia and have already been sent back to the Philippines.

During the hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Justice and Human Rights, Shiela admitted that she had left the country by boat with the dismissed mayor.

Shiela Guo was among those arrested last July on the orders of the Senate.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) cited the importance of intelligence in determining Guo’s exact whereabouts in Indonesia and said the arrest was the result of its active coordination and cooperation with the Indonesian National Police.

Colonel Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesman, said this cooperation underscores the importance of information sharing and joint efforts in the fight against transnational crime.

A video shared by Indonesian media on social media platform X showed Guo being led by police officers down a staircase with white walls.

The Ministry of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) have initiated separate proceedings against Guo, accusing him of multiple counts of money laundering.

The AMLC alleges that Guo and her co-conspirators laundered more than P100 million from criminal activities.

The senators praised Indonesian authorities for their assistance in apprehending Guo. Once she is returned to the Philippines, she will be handed over to the Senate.

“Terima Kasih (thank you) to our friends in Indonesia,” said Senator Risa Hontiveros, praising all those who did their best to arrest Guo.

The senator also said the NBI had assured him that it would immediately hand Guo over to the Senate once she was returned to the country and the case was processed.

“And we will pursue those who helped her escape,” Hontiveros said in a statement in Filipino.

Senate President Francis Escudero welcomed Guo’s arrest. “She can now face justice and … also shed light on the illegal POGO operations in the country.”

He and Senator Joel Villanueva thanked the Indonesian authorities for the successful arrest.

Senator Loren Legarda said: “We should not allow ourselves to become victims of foreigners whose intention is to harm our countrymen and society.”

Members of the House of Representatives also welcomed Guo’s arrest.

“We at Quadcom look forward to facing her in our public hearing,” said Rep. Reynan Arrogancia of Quezon Province’s third district.

Arrogancia is a member of the House Committee on Public Order and Security, which is part of the Quad committee that deals with POGOs.

On August 12, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered Guo’s dismissal as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, finding her guilty of serious misconduct.

France Castro, deputy minority leader in the House of Representatives and member of the Teachers’ Party in the Australian Capital Territory, also welcomed Guo’s arrest.

“This arrest is an important step to ensure justice is done. Alice Guo must now face the charges against her. It is crucial for her to face these charges to either clear her name or be held accountable,” Castro said.

House officials said they would coordinate with the Senate because Guo also had an invitation to the House’s investigation into POGOs.

BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO, REINA C. TOLENTINO, WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL, FRANCISCO TUYAY AND JAVIER JOE ISMAEL