The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) strongly believes that the dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo's haircut was a deliberate move to conceal her identity while on the run in Indonesia.
“‘Yun nga para maitago ang kanyang identity. Meron nang lumabas, nakita na, ‘yung nai-share [ng] Indonesian police na talagang maikli na ang buhok niya. Nagpaputol ng buhok to conceal her identity,” NBI Director Jaime Santiago said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
Indonesian police captured Guo at a hotel in Tangerang City earlier on Tuesday, where she had been staying while evading law enforcement.
Photos released by Indonesian authorities clearly show Guo’s drastically shortened hair, contrasting with her previous appearance during a Senate hearing where her long hair was notably visible.
Santiago emphasized that Guo's arrest underscores the inescapable reach of justice, often referred to as the "long arm of the law."
“Talagang napapatunayan natin. At maganda ang coordination natin sa Interpol, sa Indonesian police, maganda ang coordination natin,” Santiago added, praising the collaboration between local and international law enforcement agencies.
Guo's arrest follows the earlier capture and immediate repatriation of her sister, Shiela Guo, and their associate, Cassandra Li Ong, also in Indonesia. In a legislative hearing last week, Shiela Guo revealed that she, along with her siblings Alice and Wesley Guo, had fled the country by boarding ships.
Alice Guo faces an arrest warrant issued by Congress, compelling her to attend hearings related to charges of human trafficking and money laundering connected to a raided POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) hub.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. lauded the successful arrest and issued a stern warning to those attempting to evade justice.
"Such is an exercise in futility," Marcos said. "The arm of the law is long and it will reach you."
He also extended his congratulations to all law enforcement personnel involved in the operation, acknowledging their efforts in bringing Guo to justice.
