5th September 2024 – (Jakarta) Philippine and Indonesian authorities are currently engaged in discussions about a potential prisoner swap, involving the fugitive former mayor of a small Philippine town, Alice Guo, and an Australian national, Gregor Haas, wanted by Jakarta for drug trafficking allegations.
Guo, accused of having connections with Chinese criminal organisations, was apprehended on Tuesday in Tangerang City, Indonesia. She has been a target of the Philippine Senate for her refusal to participate in a legislative inquiry into her alleged criminal activities.
On Thursday, Inspector General Krishna Murti, head of the international relations division at the Indonesian National Police, confirmed that Guo would be deported back to the Philippines that evening. “She will be directly received by the Philippine Interior Minister and the Chief of Police,” Murti stated.
The arrest of Guo, who has been on the run for over a month, marks a significant development in her case. Her legal representative, Stephen David, expressed relief at her safe capture. “This allows us to address the allegations against her thoroughly,” David remarked, emphasizing the importance of her legal and physical security.
Concurrently, Indonesia has hopes of a reciprocal action from Manila concerning Haas, who was detained in Cebu last May. “We are optimistic about cooperation from the Philippine government to hand over Haas,” Murti conveyed to Kompas, an Indonesian news outlet.
However, Philippine justice officials have indicated that Indonesia has yet to make a formal request for such an exchange. “There has been no official request regarding the swap,” stated Justice Undersecretary Nicky Ty, suggesting that discussions were still in the preliminary stages.
Guo’s troubles began following a raid on a casino operation in March, linked to premises she partly owned. This raid led to her facing multiple charges of money laundering involving sums exceeding 100 million pesos (approximately US$1.8 million).
Despite the legal battles, Guo maintains her innocence, denouncing the charges as “malicious.” Her case took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that her fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national, despite her claims of Philippine citizenship. This discovery led to her removal from office and her subsequent flight through several Southeast Asian countries before her capture in Indonesia.
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