Alice Guo case: Abalos, Marbil arrive in Indonesia to fetch ex-mayor

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (right) and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Marbil (left) are in Indonesia on September 5, 2024, to fetch ousted Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, whose real name is Guo Hua Ping. Photo from DILG

MANILA, Philippines — Alice Guo, whose real name is Guo Hua Ping, will be fetched by two high-ranking Philippine government officials in Indonesia as the nation anticipates her return to Manila.

Indonesian authorities arrested Guo early Wednesday morning in a hotel in the capital Jakarta after she left the Philippines in July amid investigations on her link to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Marbil arrived in Jakarta on Thursday morning to pick up Guo.

“SILG Benhur Abalos, along with PGen Rommel Marbil, landed in Soekarno Hatta International, Jakarta Indonesia, on September 5, 2024, at 2:30 a.m. exactly,” the DILG said in a statement.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they would transfer Guo to the Senate sergeant-at-arms upon her return to the Philippines since the upper chamber issued an arrest order against her.

Guo’s arrest in Jakarta came days after Indonesian authorities also arrested her initially identified sister Shiela Guo and alleged business associate Cassandra Li Ong. The two are currently detained at the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.

In her earlier testimony at the Senate, Shiela said she and Alice left the Philippines by boat for Malaysia. But Shiela did not say when they left the Philippines.

However, Sen. Risa Hontiveros previously revealed that Alice Guo left the Philippines on July 18 and that from Malaysia, Alice and Shiela Guo went to Singapore and then proceeded to Indonesia on August 18.