Ex-Philippine mayor under investigation allegedly fled to Malaysia, Singapore in July

MANILA, PHILIPPINES: Former mayor Alice Leal Guo (郭华萍), who is under investigation for alleged involvement in illegal activities, reportedly fled the Philippines and traveled to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The news was initially exposed by Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros.

In a Facebook post on Monday (19 August), Hontiveros revealed that Guo, the former mayor of Bamban town in Tarlac—about 1.5 hours from Manila—departed the Philippines on 18 July and was recorded entering Malaysia at 12:17 p.m. on the same day.

Hontiveros emphasized the accuracy of this information, stating that the data matched Guo’s passport, which she presented during the Senate session.

Additionally, Hontiveros noted that the 38-year-old had traveled to Singapore to meet her parents, Lin Wen Yi (林文怡) and Guo Jianjiang (郭建奖).

The senator also criticized local officials for their role in allowing Guo’s escape, suggesting that such an exit would not have been possible without some level of official assistance.

Authorities suggest Guo departed the Philippines illegally

Winston Casio, spokesperson for the Philippines’ Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), confirmed in a media interview that, following verification with Malaysian authorities, they learned Guo arrived in Kuala Lumpur on 18 July, having traveled from Denpasar, Indonesia.

On 21 July, Guo flew from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on Jetstar Asia flight 686. Casio also noted that Guo traveled from Singapore to Batam, Indonesia, via ferry on 18 August .

Additionally, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) revealed on Monday that it had received information indicating that Guo “left the country illegally” without going through Philippine immigration authorities.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco stated that Guo, whose real name is reportedly Guo Huaping, “illegally traveled to Malaysia as early as July,” according to intelligence from “very reliable sources.”

Tansingco clarified that while Guo’s name is listed in the Department of Justice-issued immigration lookout bulletin (ILBO), her supposed departure is not recorded in the BI’s system and centralized database.

He further noted that Guo allegedly traveled to Singapore with Shiela Leal Guo and Wesley Leal Guo on 21 July.

He added that the cancellation of Guo’s Philippine travel documents could fast track her extradition to the Philippines.

Philippine President: Heads will roll

According to Singapore state media The Straits Times, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore stated only that Alice Guo is not currently in the country.

ST also reported that Philippine authorities have not contacted the Singapore Police Force for assistance regarding Guo.

Philippine media reported that Guo’s lawyer, Stephen David, has asserted that Guo remains in the Philippines.

David stated, “As her counsel, we have always relied on our client’s assurances that she is still in the Philippines. Without further evidence proving that she has left the country, our reliance on her assurances remains in good faith.”

On Wednesday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the government would come after the “culprits” responsible for Guo’s escape, and that “heads will roll”.

The President remarked that Guo’s departure has exposed corruption within the Philippine justice system and confirmed that a comprehensive investigation is underway.

“We will expose the culprits who have betrayed the people’s trust and aided in her flight,” said Mr Marcos.

The departure of 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗼 has laid bare the corruption that undermines our justice system and erodes public trust.

𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥: 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹.

We will 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 the culprits who have betrayed the people’s trust and aided in her… pic.twitter.com/70KiZX5Zre

— Bongbong Marcos (@bongbongmarcos) August 20, 2024

Alice Guo’s alleged ties with convicts in Singapore’s S$3B money laundering case

Earlier, Gutzy reported that Guo, who reportedly owns 16 vehicles and a helicopter, has been linked to Fujian-born individuals Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying, both convicted in Singapore’s S$3 billion money laundering case.

Guo earlier has also been accused of being a “Chinese spy” and the investigation into Guo began when the Philippine Senate looked into her potential connections with illegal scam operations.

On 13 July, the Senate ordered her arrest along with some family members after she failed to appear twice for hearings related to the scam centres. However, she has since gone missing.

In 2019, Guo allegedly co-founded Baofu Land Development with Zhang and Lin. Baofu Land Development reportedly built a compound in Bamban, Philippines, suspected of housing illegal scam operations.

Zhang and Lin were deported from Singapore to Cambodia after serving jail sentences, but were later expelled by Cambodian authorities.

During a May Senate hearing, Guo denied knowledge of her business partners’ criminal activities and claimed to have divested from Baofu Land Development in 2022 before running for mayor.

She stated that she had only communicated with Huang, a fugitive wanted by the Philippines’ PAOCC, and never with Zhang or Lin.

The 10-hectare compound developed by Baofu Land allegedly housed fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scams and was raided twice, with 875 people arrested during the second raid in March 2024.

Guo struggled to answer questions about her background, describing herself as the “love child” of a Chinese man and a Filipino woman who had worked as his housemaid. Growing up in isolation on her family’s pig farm, she felt ashamed of being an illegitimate child.

Her birth certificate was issued when she was 17 years old, and she registered to vote in Bamban only in 2021, one year before running for mayor.

Documents obtained by Senator Hontiveros revealed that Guo owned a helicopter and 16 vehicles, reflecting her luxurious lifestyle, including entering a McLaren 620R in a car show.

Guo admitted to owning the helicopter, which she intended to use for an air taxi business but later sold, and claimed the vehicles were part of her car dealership business.

Guo earlier denied allegations of criminal connections, asserting that she had no ties to or knowledge of illegal Pogo operations.