“Alice Guo will definitely not go to China,” stated Winston Casio, spokesperson for the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), when asked about the potential destination of the dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor. Reports have indicated that Guo is currently in Indonesia.
During a news forum on Saturday, Casio explained that Guo cannot travel to China because she is a person of interest there, due to her alleged involvement in illegal gambling activities in the Philippines. “China is very strict regarding gambling within their territories, so she will not go to any of those areas,” he said.
Casio suggested that Guo and her associates are likely trying to reach the Golden Triangle, a region in mainland Southeast Asia where the borders of Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar intersect along the Mekong River.
“The Guo family has business and gambling interests in Cambodia, making it a likely destination for them,” Casio added. While Cambodia is not part of the Golden Triangle, it shares borders with Thailand and Laos, which are in the region. He noted that the Guos are linked to the Fujian Gang, a criminal organization connected to the Golden Triangle triad.
Casio warned that capturing Guo could be challenging if she reaches the Golden Triangle, citing the ongoing civil war in Myanmar as a complicating factor. “It will be difficult because there’s a war over there,” Casio remarked. “However, it depends on where exactly in the Golden Triangle she lands.”
Earlier in the week, Senator Risa Hontiveros revealed that Guo, also known as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, left the Philippines on July 18 for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The PAOCC confirmed that Guo has traveled through at least three Southeast Asian countries—Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia—since her departure.
Dana Sandoval, spokesperson for the Bureau of Immigration, mentioned that Guo remains in Indonesia and has not attempted to leave. Indonesian authorities have detained her sister, Shiela Guo, and Cassandra Li Ong, a representative of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) involved in alleged illegal activities in Porac, Pampanga. Alice Guo faces charges related to a POGO hub raid in Bamban.
While Guo’s sister and Ong are under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Casio indicated that Philippine authorities are awaiting an arrest warrant from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to coordinate with Interpol. “We cannot take action without a warrant. Once we have it, we can issue a red notice through Interpol,” Casio explained.
A red notice from Interpol would facilitate Guo’s immediate return to the Philippines. Casio also mentioned plans to apply for a “blue notice” through Interpol to gather more information on Guo’s identity, location, or activities related to the criminal investigation.
For now, Casio stated that Indonesian authorities believe Guo is still in the Batam area. He added, “We can only monitor to ensure she does not leave. If she does, we will apprehend her. She knows that entering a public area could lead to her arrest due to immigration grounds, but we cannot forcibly enter private premises without legal authority.”