'Road trip lang?': Social media users react to viral photo of Alice Guo smiling while escorted by NBI, BI agents
Alice Guo was seen all smiles in a now-viral photo of her being escorted by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents after her arrest in Indonesia.
The dismissed Bamban mayor, who has been linked to raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in her bailiwick, was turned over to Philippine authorities on Thursday, Sept. 5.
As of writing, she is set to be brought back to the Philippines on a chartered flight with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rommel Marbil, and NBI and BI officers.
One photo shared by the NBI to news outlets has since gone viral as Guo was pictured smiling in a "groupfie" sitting close to the NBI and BI escorts in a car.
The image has received mixed reactions on Facebook, with some users joking about how Guo and the agents appeared to be going on a road trip with their demeanor rather than going to the immigration office.
"Hanep parang mag outing lang ah," one user said.
"Ako nabwibwisit para sa mga Indonesian na ginulo natin lol. Pinakawalan natin, hahanapin nila, pag-balik sa'tin, selfie-selfie lang na parang papuntang team building," one user wrote on X.
"Something is very, very wrong with this picture," another posted.
"It is so offensive seeing these agents smiling with Alice Guo as if showing that they are on her side. They should be called out. This is not how our law enforcers should behave while supposedly escorting a criminal, a person who has duped the Filipinos. Despicable!" one user replied.
Later in the evening, Sen. Risa Hontiveros called out these government officials, writing "PAALALA lalo na sa mga kawani ng gubyerno: Si Alice Guo ay pugante. May kasong human trafficking. Hindi po 'yan celebrity."
A video clip of Guo's interaction with Abalos has also since gone viral as the dismissed mayor was seen shaking hands with the DILG Secretary and talking about how they first met in Tarlac.
Guo, who was visibly not in handcuffs, later asked Abalos for help with the "death threat" that she had been receiving.
Users pointed out that the dismissed mayor should've been in handcuffs.
"Nasaan 'yung handcuffs?... Katawa-tawa naman. Fugitive diba 'yan?" one user wrote.
"Why are they treating Alice Guo like a celebrity?" one user said.
However, one user brought up a point about why she wasn't in handcuffs in the video, which was taken in Indonesia.
"She is not yet under Philippine custody; she remains under Indonesian government custody. The decision to handcuff her is still under the jurisdiction of Indonesian authorities," they said.
Upon arrival, Guo will be taken to Camp Crame to undergo a physical and medical examination, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said.
Capas, Tarlac Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 109 has also issued a warrant of arrest against Guo for two counts of graft, PNP confirmed.
Hontiveros said that Guo will be handed over to the Senate on Sept. 6.
Guo's alleged POGO ties
Guo, her siblings Shiela and Wesley, as well as Cassandra Li Ong, her alleged cohort who has ties to the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator Lucky South 99, left the Philippines in the middle of a Senate probe on the alleged illegal operations of POGO hubs.
Shiela and Ong were apprehended in Batam City on Aug. 20 and brought back on Aug. 22.
Shiela got an arrest order from the Senate due to immigration violations. The NBI also found that Shiela is a Chinese citizen named Zhang Mier who "fraudulently acquired" a Philippine passport upon examining her fingerprints and other records.
Ong, meanwhile, is facing charges of obstruction of justice and violation of the passport law, as well as a contempt order from the House of Representatives. She's one of the key persons who could help the government investigate the illegal operations of Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.
