Alice Guo in Indonesia; Palace Orders PH Passport Canceled

August 21, 2024 Philippines Crime & Legal

Authorities have confirmed that Alice Guo left the Philippines last month, at around the same time that the Senate issued a warrant of arrest for Guo.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed on August 20, 2024 that dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo is now in Indonesia. Guo reportedly traveled from the Philippines to Malaysia on July 16, then proceeded to Singapore before arriving in Indonesia on August 18.

“Sa atin pong pagbantay sa mga counterpart intelligence information, nalaman natin nasa Indonesia ngayon. Tumawid siya from Singapore the other day, August 18,” said BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval in an August 20 report published by GMA Network. (In monitoring our counterpart intelligence information, we learned that she is now in Indonesia. She crossed over from Singapore the other day, August 18.)

Authorities have confirmed that Guo left the Philippines in July, at around the same time that the Senate issued a warrant of arrest for the former mayor who has been identified as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping.

The BI is currently investigating how Guo managed to leave the country without passing through official immigration channels. Sandoval stated that the bureau is examining Guo’s travel route to identify individuals who may have facilitated her exit. The BI is also considering the possibility that some immigration officials might have been involved in her departure.

“Nagba-backtrack tayo sa dinaanan ni Mayor Guo kung paano siya nakalabas ng bansa. From there, malalaman natin kung sino ang mga individuals responsible in that area,” Sandoval added. (We are backtracking Mayor Guo’s movements to see how she left the country. From there, we will determine who the responsible individuals are in that area.)

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has issued a stern warning to BI personnel potentially involved in Guo’s escape. Remulla has ordered both the National Bureau of Investigation and the BI to investigate her departure. “As civil servants, we have sworn to the country our unwavering integrity, transparency and accountability in all our actions and decisions,” Remulla said.

He further warned, “Hence, I am issuing this final warning against erring BI personnel who may have had a participation in the escape of Guo despite strict restrictions imposed by our government, it’s either you come out and unveil the truth or wait until I personally get to the bottom of this where heads will roll and all hell will break loose.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police has indicated that diplomatic channels will be necessary to address the situation. “But since, kung totoo man po, na nakalabas na po siya ng bansa, then we have to go through the diplomatic channel to address the possibility of bringing her back dito sa atin,” said PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo. (But since, if it is true that she has left the country, then we have to go through the diplomatic channel to address the possibility of bringing her back here.)

In related news, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has ordered the cancellation of the passports for Guo and her family. A memorandum signed on August 20 directed the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice to cancel not only Guo’s passport but also those of her siblings Wesley Leal Guo and Sheila Leal Guo. The memo also covers Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, the representative of the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub raided in Porac, Pampanga.