Fugitive former mayor arrested after returning to the Philippines

A fugitive former mayor of a city in the Philippines arrived in Manila early Friday morning after being deported from Indonesia. Alice Guo is accused of having links to a Chinese crime syndicate.

Philippine authorities formally arrested her on bribery and corruption charges upon her arrival. Guo is suspected of having links to an illegal online casino that served Chinese customers during her tenure as mayor of the city of Bamban on the island of Luzon. Investigators suspect the casino was involved in human trafficking and investment fraud.

Shortly after arriving in Manila, Guo said she had received death threats and was asking the authorities for help.

Guo was arrested in a Jakarta suburb on Wednesday. She fled the Philippines after speculation arose about her Chinese nationality. Guo had previously claimed in a congressional investigation that she was a native Filipino citizen.

The Philippine Interior Minister has assured the former mayor's safety as long as she cooperates with the investigation.

The incident came amid growing resentment toward Beijing over naval clashes in the South China Sea, with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. demanding that Guo be extradited to face trial.