Ex-Mayor's Flight Sparks Outrage in the Philippines

An ex-mayor, Alice Guo, accused of espionage for China and connections to criminal syndicates, has fled the Philippines, igniting public outrage and government scrutiny. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday that "heads will roll" following revelations that Guo left the country undetected a month ago, traveling through Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Marcos emphasized that her escape highlights the corruption undermining the justice system and eroding public trust. Guo has been absent from the public eye since July, when a Senate panel investigating her alleged involvement with scam centers and online casinos ordered her arrest for refusing to testify. She faces accusations of facilitating human trafficking and allowing scam operations to masquerade as legitimate online casinos. Additionally, senators have raised concerns about her potential ties to Chinese intelligence, citing her evasive responses regarding her Chinese heritage. Guo has denied all allegations against her. In response to her flight, President Marcos vowed to identify those complicit in her escape and has ordered the cancellation of her Philippine passport. Senator Risa Hontiveros, who has been leading the investigation into the country's scam centers, criticized the failure of immigration authorities to prevent Guo from leaving the country. Guo, who was relatively unknown before her election as mayor in 2022, has claimed a sheltered upbringing on her family's pig farm. The rise of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos), which cater primarily to Chinese clients, has been linked to various criminal activities, prompting a crackdown under Marcos's administration, which has shifted away from the previous administration's pro-China stance.