Indonesian authorities were able to locate Alice Guo in a townhouse in Tangereng through an active SIM card found in her phone, which became a key clue for the Indonesian police to arrest her earlier this week. According to immigration officials, Alice Guo had previously served as the mayor of Bamban in Tarlac.
According to reports, the Indonesian police tracked her location to a hotel where Alice Guo was staying through her mobile phone. Rendel Sy, head of the fugitive search team at the immigration office, stated: "She had three mobile numbers, one of which was still active, which helped the police pinpoint her exact location."
Alice Guo was previously issued an arrest warrant by the Philippine Senate for her involvement in illegal gambling activities within the Philippines and was arrested by Indonesian police on Wednesday. She had repeatedly evaded participating in Senate hearings investigating illegal gambling activities in her hometown.
Despite being on the Philippine immigration bureau's surveillance list, Alice Guo fled the Philippines in July. The Capas regional court issued an arrest warrant for her on corruption charges, and the immigration bureau is preparing to deport her back to her country.
In a video, Alice Guo was filmed opening her door in pajamas, calmly asking the Indonesian police knocking at her door to give her time to change clothes. It is reported that the townhouse was owned by a female monk she met at a shopping mall.
Furthermore, the police also identified four individuals, both Chinese and Indonesian citizens, who helped Alice Guo hide in Indonesia. Sy added: "When we identified her local contacts in Indonesia, it was a great help to us. She also had a Chinese accomplice responsible for her logistical support and hotel bookings, all registered under local contact names."
Before returning to Manila on Friday morning (September 6), Alice Guo told reporters that she was ready to return to the Philippines. However, when asked how she managed to successfully flee and hide abroad, she refused to answer.
The 33-year-old former mayor has been issued an arrest warrant since July for repeatedly missing Senate investigations into the sealed Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) centers in her town. Additionally, in June, authorities also brought charges of suspected human trafficking against Alice Guo and her accomplices. She also faces 87 charges of money laundering and an immigration bureau deportation case.
