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Philippines’ fugitive ex-mayor arrested in Indonesia, Manila says
Alice Guo, a dual Chinese national also known as Guo Hua Ping, is wanted by the Philippines Senate for refusing to attend a congressional probe into her alleged criminal ties.
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A stock illustration of a police arrest. (Shutterstock/FotoDax)
A fugitive former Philippine mayor accused of links to Chinese criminal syndicates had been arrested in Indonesia, Manila's Justice Department said in a statement on Wednesday.
Alice Guo, a dual Chinese national also known as Guo Hua Ping, is wanted by the Philippines Senate for refusing to attend a congressional probe into her alleged criminal ties. She has denied the accusations, insisting she is a natural born Philippine citizen facing "malicious accusations".
"This development has been verified by our counterparts in immigration, who have confirmed that Ms. Guo is currently in the custody of the Indonesian police at Jatanras Mabes Polri," the Philippine Justice Department said in the statement, referring to the Indonesian National Police’s violent crimes unit.
The department said Guo was arrested close to midnight on Tuesday in Tangerang, Banten.
Philippine law enforcement agencies, including the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), jointly filed multiple counts of money laundering against Guo and 35 others with the Justice Department last month.
The AMLC has alleged that Guo and her coconspirators laundered over 100 million pesos (US$1.8 million) in proceeds from criminal activities.
Stephen David, Guo's lawyer on record, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Guo, who was removed from office as mayor of Bamban in Tarlac province, fled the country in July, traveling on her Philippine passport to Malaysia and Singapore, and then to Indonesia in August, the Philippine anti-crime agency said.
A Senate probe began in May after authorities raided a casino in Bamban in March, uncovering what law enforcement officials said were scams perpetrated from a facility built on land partially owned by the town’s mayor.
