Mayor Alice Guo Escapes from Philippines to Singapore
Alice Guo, a former mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, now stands at the center of an international investigation due to her alleged ties to Chinese crime syndicates. The investigation intensified after Guo, facing a Senate hearing in the Philippines, fled the country. She arrived in Singapore on July 21. This information is according to the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros is leading the probe. Risa revealed that Guo met her parents in Singapore after they arrived from China on July 28.
The situation escalated when Shiela Guo, Alice’s sister, admitted before the Senate how they orchestrated their escape. The siblings left their farm in Bamban, boarded a small boat, and eventually reached Malaysia’s Sabah state. From there, they traveled to Singapore and then to Indonesia’s Batam. They were accompanied by Cassandra Li Ong, who now faces multiple charges in the Philippines.
Alice Guo accompanied by Fugitive Ong
Ong’s involvement in the case has raised more questions. Authorities believe she represents an illegal online gaming operation in Porac, Pampanga, where a raid in June rescued over 100 workers. Ong’s arrest in Indonesia, along with Shiela’s, has brought further attention to the case, as both women now face charges including the use of false passports and facilitating a criminal’s escape.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to identify and swiftly punish all officials involved in the scandal. Subsequently, he confirmed that the Department of Justice, led by Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, will take charge of the investigation. The case continues to unfold, with the PAOCC closely monitoring Alice Guo’s movements, now believed to be in Jakarta. As the investigation progresses, it casts a spotlight on the effectiveness of the Philippines’ border control and the broader implications of corruption within the system. Furthermore, its ironic given that President Marcos himself once had to flee the country with his family.
