Fugitive mayor Alice Guo’s arrest in Indonesia exposes cracks in Philippines’ security

Government officials say Alice Guo’s case has exposed vulnerabilities in the Philippines’ security apparatus, with analysts warning that corruptible networks within the government are its “Achilles' heel” in combating transnational crime.

Confirming the news of Guo’s arrest, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he suspected Bureau of Immigration officials were involved in the fugitive ex-mayor and her companions being able to flee the country undetected.

“We will hold anyone involved in these crimes accountable, even government people. As long as they have something to do [with the case], we will investigate them, find evidence, and prosecute them,” Remulla said.

Guo, the former mayor of Bamban in Tarlac province who has been accused of having links to Chinese criminal syndicates, was apprehended close to midnight on Tuesday in Tangerang City in Jakarta, nearly a month after her escape from the Philippines was made public.