(Bloomberg) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed a swift resolution of cases against a former mayor facing money laundering and human trafficking complaints after she was arrested in Indonesia on Wednesday.
Marcos, in a video posted on Facebook, said embattled ex-mayor Alice Guo will be afforded legal rights, after the Justice Department confirmed that she was in the custody of Indonesian police. Manila last week filed money laundering charges against Guo who’s allegedly linked to China-centric online casinos.
“Let this serve as a warning to those who attempt to evade justice: such is an exercise in futility,” the Philippine leader said. While Guo is entitled to legal protections, the government “will not allow this to prolong the resolution of the case whose outcome will be victory for the Filipino people,” he said.
The ex-mayor of Bamban city in Tarlac province north of the capital went missing in mid-July when an arrest order was issued against her. Since then, dozens of bank accounts and other assets linked to Guo had been frozen by authorities over allegations of fraud, money laundering and human trafficking.
The Philippines is coordinating with the Indonesian immigration authorities for Guo’s return to Manila as soon as possible.
--With assistance from Cliff Venzon.
(Adds President Marcos’ statement.)
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