Metro Manila, Philippines — Indonesian authorities turned over former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo to Philippine officials on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Guo was accompanied by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Philippine National Police chief PGen Rommel Marbil.
She was seen holding her Philippine passport as they met with Indonesian officials.
Guo is expected to return to the country Thursday evening after her detention in Indonesia, Sen. Raffy Tulfo earlier said.
The lawmaker, however, said that there might be delays in the chartered flight, RP-C6188.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval told NewsWatch Plus officials are still targeting to have Guo return to the country within Thursday.
“If not today po, maaaring within the next 24 hours. ‘Yan po ang pinaplantsa ngayon ng ating mga tauhan doon. So nakaantabay po tayo dito sa Manila kung ano po yung magiging updates,” she said.
[Translation: If not today, it’s possible she will return within the next 24 hours. That’s what our personnel are ironing out now. We are awaiting updates here from Manila]
Armed with the Senate arrest warrant, Abalos and Marbil left for Indonesia Wednesday evening, Sept. 4, and arrived in the wee hours of Thursday in their attempt to bring back Guo.
Authorities previously targeted for the embattled former mayor to return within Wednesday. Senators eyed Guo’s presence in Thursday’s committee hearing.
Upon arrival, Sandoval earlier said Guo would go through immigration procedures for turnover to the NBI for questioning.
She will be turned over to the Senate for her detention.
Guo has been tagged in supposed crimes linked to offshore gaming in her hometown Bamban in Tarlac province.
The night of arrest
Sheila, Guo’s supposed sister, and alleged business associate Cassandra Li Ong were the first to be apprehended at a mall in Riau, Indonesia, almost two weeks ago, as they tried to return to Singapore.
Sandoval said authorities believed this was a “test run” for Guo.
“When she (Alice) found out that Indonesian authorities were already on to her, lumiit po ang kanyang mundo at nagpaikot-ikot na lamang po siya doon sa Indonesia [her world got smaller and she roamed Indonesia instead],” the immigration official said.
The Justice Department said Guo was arrested on Sept. 3, 11:58 p.m. in Tangerang City, Jakarta.
Sandoval said the former mayor was captured in an apartment villa, and based on monitoring, she seemed “hotel hopping.”
“Siya po ay mag-isa at madaling araw,” Sandoval said. “Mukhang hindi po niya ine-expect ang paghuli sa kanya dahil pupungas-pungas pa po siya. Noong siya po ay hinuli, she was wearing her pajamas when she joined law enforcement to go to the Indonesian police station.”
[Translation: She was alone during that midnight. It looked like she did not expect her arrest because she was half-awake. She was wearing her pajamas when she joined law enforcement at the Indonesian police station.]
Guo also cut her hair short.
Internal probe over immigration bureau ongoing
Guo reportedly left the Philippines in July through three boat transfers to Malaysia, passing the immigration system undetected.
In an interview with NewsWatch Plus on Thursday, Sandoval said Guo exited the country illegally, but it was clear she used her passport to flee to Malaysia, then to Singapore, then to Indonesia.
Based on the BI’s internal investigation, Sandoval said there was so far no indication of immigration personnel involvement in the case. But Guo’s return might help detail how she evaded law enforcement.
