Alice Guo, the former mayor of Bamban, has returned to the Philippines after fleeing the country two months ago amid allegations of her involvement in Chinese-organized crime.
Guo arrived in Manila early Friday morning, dressed in an orange detainee shirt and accompanied by high-ranking Philippine officials.
Guo, who also holds Chinese nationality and is known as Guo Hua Ping, was apprehended in Jakarta earlier this week for immigration violations before being deported back to the Philippines. Philippine Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Philippine National Police Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil escorted her on a chartered flight from Indonesia.
At a brief news conference following her arrival, Guo expressed that she had received death threats. She remained largely silent, facing away from the media. Abalos assured Guo of her safety and urged her to fully disclose relevant information to facilitate justice.
“Disclose all the names in order to serve justice and so all this ends. That is the only way we can help her,” he stated.
Guo, who served as mayor of Bamban starting in 2022, is facing a Senate inquiry due to her alleged connections with Chinese criminal syndicates involved in online scams and illegal gaming. She fled the country in July after being summoned to the Senate investigation. The Senate’s probe began in May following a raid on a casino in Bamban that uncovered a scamming operation on property partially owned by Guo.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has filed multiple money laundering charges against Guo and 35 others. Guo has denied these allegations, labeling them as malicious. An anti-corruption office had previously removed her from office in August due to alleged misconduct related to illegal gaming operations.
Guo’s case has drawn significant public and media attention, particularly in light of ongoing tensions between the Philippines and China. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has urged Guo to reveal details about offshore gaming operators, which he believes are linked to criminal activities. The Senate investigation is set to resume on September 9.
With input from Al Jazeera, BBC, and Reuters.
