Lawmakers criticize authorities for giving special treatment to Alice Guo

Several Philippine authorities have come under fire for supposedly providing dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo "special treatment" during her apprehension and deportation to the country.

Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, her alleged Chinese name, was sent back to the Philippines past 1:00 a.m. on Friday from Jakarta where the Indonesian authorities arrested her on Wednesday.

DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rommel Marbil—prompted by a tight deadline—flew to Indonesia via private plane to personally fetch the fugitive mayor.

However, their "efforts" in apprehending Guo met strong criticism from legislators and the public when they posed for a photo with Guo with all grins—an observation Abalos deemed "unfair."

Guo also sought Abalos' help, alleging that she had a "death threat."

Bureau of Immigration and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel, who escorted Guo to Indonesian immigration before her deportation, also earned the ire of Filipinos for sharing a selfie with the erstwhile mayor.

"We were surprised by the strange treatment of the DILG, PNP, and NBI to Guo Hua Ping from the time she was picked up in Indonesia until she arrived here in the Philippines," said Bukidnon Rep. Keith Flores, chairperson of the House Committee on Government Reorganization and vice chairperson of the Committee on Justice.

"From Jakarta to NAIA, they constantly took selfies and took pictures with wanted and suspect Guo Hua Ping. They treated her as if she was an artist [or] celebrity. They pretended to be fanboys and fangirls instead of law enforcement officers of the Philippines. Are they not ashamed of their behavior?" He added.

Flores insinuated that there was a "special treatment" given to Guo by authorities by allowing her to wear a mask and her handcuffs covered with a white sweater.

He also lambasted the officials for apparently using Guo for "campaign posters."

"Filipino officials need to explain their behavior—behavior that does not align with how a fugitive and someone being pursued by law enforcement should be treated," he concluded.

Guo, facing multiple raps, was ordered arrested by Tarlac Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 109 for two counts of graft.

The court set bail at P180,000, or P90,000 for each count. The former mayor did not post bail for her arrest order.

Guo is believed to be the culprit of the proliferation of illegal POGOs or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations in her town, which was raided and ordered closed by authorities for criminal activities such as money laundering and human trafficking, among others.

Meanwhile, House Deputy Majority Leader Margarita Nograles prodded the Land Registration Authority to issue an adverse claim and initiate forfeiture proceedings on Guo's real estate assets and other POGO firms to prevent further transactions and secure these landholdings in favor of the government.

These landholdings, she emphasized, are in direct violation of the Constitution, which prohibits non-Filipinos from owning land in the country.

She noted that foreign entities and individuals, including those involved in POGO operations, have been exploiting legal loopholes to acquire property, undermining national laws.

"The Philippine Constitution is clear: non-Filipinos are not allowed to own land in the country. The increasing reports of Chinese nationals and corporations, particularly those connected to POGOs, holding real estate assets are deeply alarming and must be addressed with urgency," Nograles said.

In July, the Court of Appeals issued a freeze order on Guo's 90 bank accounts, 12 properties, and more than a dozen luxury cars, including a helicopter.

Meanwhile, Quezon Rep. Reynante Arrogancia, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Public Order, warned authorities who purportedly help Guo flee to Malaysia and Indonesia that resigning from their respective posts or going AWOL wouldn't stop Congress and the Department of Justice from sending them behind bars.