Guo arrested in Indonesia

After eluding authorities for months, dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo has been arrested in Indonesia, Philippine officials announced yesterday.

- EMMANUEL TUPAS and MARK ERNEST VILLEZA

Guo was apprehended by Indonesian authorities at Cendana Parc Residences at Tangerang City in Banten province, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago.

“We would like to confirm that around 11:30 p.m. Jakarta time of Sept. 3, Alice Guo was caught and arrested,” Fajardo told reporters at a news briefing at Camp Crame.

In a statement yesterday afternoon, the PNP said Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, was brought to Senayan in South Jakarta where she was secured by policemen.

Santiago said Guo is currently in the custody of the Indonesian police at Jatanras Mabes Polri.

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Gilbert Cruz sent a photograph of Guo wearing a face mask and accompanied by four Indonesian officials.

The Department of Justice also confirmed Guo’s arrest in Indonesia.

Citing Senior Superintendent Audie Latuberu of the Indonesian Police, the DOJ said Guo was arrested in Tangerang City near midnight of Sept. 3.

Immigration officials have corroborated the arrest, although details on how Guo was captured remain undisclosed.

“The information has been confirmed by our immigration counterparts in Indonesia, and we are very happy with this development,” Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said yesterday.

“We are anticipating her return to the Philippines soon,” Tansingco added.

During the PNP briefing, Fajardo showed photographs of Guo smiling and clad in a white dress while in the custody of Indonesian authorities.

There is no word on her brother Wesley, who authorities said was among the people who escaped with her from the Philippines.

Fajardo said Guo’s arrest was the result of the collaboration between Philippine and Indonesian police and a product of an intelligence-driven operation.