Former Philippines Mayor Arrested in Indonesia on Charges of Ties to Chinese Crime Syndicates

Alice Guo is sought for questioning after missing a Senate hearing investigating her suspected connections to organized crime.

Alice Guo, former mayor of Bamban, at an earlier Senate hearing. She has long dark hair, wears glasses, and is dressed in black. [Senate of the Philippines via AFP]

Alice Guo, a former mayor in the Philippines accused of connections to Chinese criminal syndicates, has been arrested in Indonesia.

The Indonesian Ministry of Justice confirmed that Guo, who also holds Chinese nationality and is known as Guo Hua Ping, is wanted by the Philippine Senate for failing to attend a congressional investigation into her alleged criminal activities.

Guo has denied the allegations, claiming she is a natural-born Philippine citizen and facing "malicious accusations."

“The arrest of Alice Guo demonstrates the persistent efforts of our law enforcement agencies and the effectiveness of international cooperation in apprehending fugitives,” said Justice Secretary Boying Remulla, according to ABS-CBN news.

Guo, formerly the mayor of Bamban town, was detained at 11:58 PM on Tuesday in Tangerang City, Jakarta. Indonesian media shared a video showing her being escorted by officers.

The Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) filed multiple counts of money laundering against Guo and 35 others last month. The AMLC alleges that Guo and her associates laundered over 100 million pesos ($1.8 million) in criminal proceeds.

Guo’s lawyer, Stephen David, has not yet responded to requests for comment from Reuters.

Guo fled the Philippines in July, traveling first to Malaysia and Singapore before arriving in Indonesia on a Philippine passport. The Senate began investigating her activities in May after discovering alleged scams linked to her office. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has since banned online gaming operators suspected of connections to organized crime and promised to pursue those who aided Guo’s flight.