Sister and associate arrested; Ex-Philippine mayor may still be in Indonesia

MANILA, PHILIPPINES: Shiela Guo and Cassandra Li Ong, the sister and business associate of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, were arrested and deported from Indonesia back to the Philippines on Thursday (22 August), around 5 p.m.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the Philippines suspects that Alice Guo might still be in Indonesia, with no attempts to exit that country.

According to a Facebook post by Philippine Senator Raffy Tulfo, Shiela and Cassandra were apprehended at Batam Center Mall in Indonesia on Tuesday at approximately 6:45 a.m.

Indonesian authorities were unable to locate the dismissed mayor or her brother, Wesley Guo.

Tulfo also reported that Guo’s group entered Indonesia from Singapore via a cruise ship.

Singaporean POGO head allegedly helped Guo group with Batam hotel booking

The Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement Team (Inteldakim) of the Batam Immigration Office revealed that a Singaporean national assisted the Guo group by booking their hotel accommodation in Batam.

“There was a person with alias ZJ, a Singaporean citizen, who reserved four rooms at the Harris Hotel Batam Center for the past three days. ”

“CCTV footage showed that ZJ was the individual who made the hotel reservations for them,” stated Safar Godam, Indonesia’s Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement.

As the Guo group was preparing to leave Batam Island, the enforcement team intercepted them and initiated their return to the Philippines.

Indonesia has announced that they are still working to locate Guo and her brother, whom they have described as “fugitives.”

In an interview, The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson Winston Casio expressed confidence that the Guo siblings remain in Batam.

He claimed that the Singaporean mentioned by Indonesian authorities is Zhang Jie, whom he asserted was the former president of Lucky South 99, an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.

“The person who paid for their hotel is someone we also want here in the Philippines, a former president of Lucky South 99, a Singaporean named Zhang Jie,” Casio said.

Alleged association with illicit activities

Upon arrival in Manila on Thursday, Shiela and Cassandra were taken to BI for a medical examination before being transferred to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for further questioning and debriefing.

Ong has been linked to Lucky South 99, which was recently raided for alleged illicit activities, while Guo has also been associated with POGO operations.

The BI reported that they promptly coordinated with Indonesian counterparts upon learning that the Guos and Ong had traveled to Batam on 18 August.

Tansingco added that he had ordered the arrest of Guo for being an illegal alien, while Ong would face arrest and charges from the NBI.

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

According to ABS-CBN news, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos admitted that authorities are still uncertain about how Guo managed to leave the country despite being on the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order.

Abalos did not rule out the possibility that the dismissed mayor may have used connections and money to facilitate her departure.

He suggested that private hangars and ports should also be investigated regarding the alleged illegal exit of ex-Mayor Guo.

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

According to Inquirer.Net, both Shiela and assandra Li Ong will appear at a public inquiry of the Senate on POGOs on 27 August.

The hearing will specifically delve deep into ex-mayor Guo’s escape from the Philippines despite existing arrest and look out orders.

Alice Guo is currently under investigation for her alleged involvement in illegal activities, and allegedly have connection with Fujian-born individuals Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying, both convicted in Singapore’s S$3 billion money laundering case.

On 13 July, the Senate ordered Guo’s 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.

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