The Indonesian government has proposed a prisoner swap involving former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, currently detained in Indonesia, and Gregor Johan Haas, a drug suspect held in the Philippines, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced on Wednesday.
When asked if the complexities surrounding Guo’s deportation included Jakarta’s request for a prisoner exchange, Remulla confirmed, saying, “Yes, what I mentioned earlier.”
Guo, who was dismissed from her position as mayor and is wanted in the Philippines for alleged ties to criminal syndicates and money laundering, was arrested in Tangerang City, Indonesia, early Wednesday. She remains in the custody of the Indonesian police.
Haas, the suspect Indonesia wishes to exchange for Guo, was apprehended in Bogo, Cebu, on May 15 by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration.
Earlier, Remulla explained that the process for Guo’s repatriation would be different from that of Shiela Guo, her alleged sister, and Cassandra Li Ong, who were both detained in Batam, Indonesia, in August by Immigration authorities. Unlike her sister, Alice Guo fled the Philippines in July, complicating her return.
In addition to facing a money laundering complaint, Guo is also implicated in a human trafficking case connected to a raid at a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bamban. A quo warranto petition has been filed against her in Manila, along with a petition to cancel her birth certificate in Tarlac.