Alice Guo, a former mayor from the Philippines, has been arrested in Indonesia after weeks of evading capture. Guo, who had been on the run since July, is accused of spying for China and protecting illicit activities in her hometown of Bamban.
Philippine authorities had been pursuing Guo across multiple countries following an investigation into her alleged involvement in criminal enterprises, including online casinos used as fronts for scams and human trafficking. Guo denies these allegations and claims she is a Filipino citizen with no links to China.
The case has drawn significant attention, partly due to the arrest and questioning of her sister by the Philippine Senate. Reports indicate that Guo managed to travel through Malaysia and Singapore before reaching Indonesia, where she was apprehended near Jakarta.
Philippine officials are coordinating with their Indonesian counterparts to expedite her return to the Philippines. The arrest highlights ongoing tensions between the two countries and concerns about illegal online gambling operations that have been scrutinized under the current administration.
Under former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines saw a boom in online casinos catering primarily to Chinese clients. However, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has since shifted the country’s policy focus and intensified the crackdown on crimes linked to Philippine Online Gaming Operations (POGOs).
This case underscores the broader issues surrounding illegal activities masked by legitimate businesses and the international efforts to tackle such crimes.