Indonesian police arrested former Philippines mayor Alice Guo on September 3, just before midnight in Tangerang City, Jakarta. Guo had been on the run since July 18. She fled the country following accusations she was involved in criminal activity at a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac Province.
Guo is the former mayor of Bamban. In March, following reports of illegal activity including human trafficking, law enforcement raided the facility, freeing hundreds of Filipino and foreign workers.
Some workers said they were lured with promises of high-paying, legitimate employment, then forced to participate in online scams under threat of physical abuse and even torture.
Investigators allege that Guo, elected in 2022, was part owner of the facility and funded it with money from China. They also discovered that she is not Filipina but a Chinese national, born Guo Hua Ping.
Public outcry following the raid prompted Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ban the entire POGO industry. Guo faces charges of money laundering, human trafficking and tax evasion as well as criminal misrepresentation.
