(Bloomberg) — The Philippines said a former local official embroiled in alleged money laundering through China-centric online casinos has left the country, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to hold accountable those behind her exit.
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“We will expose the culprits who have betrayed the people’s trust and aided her flight,” Marcos said in a statement Wednesday. “Let me be clear: heads will roll.”
Dismissed Mayor Alice Guo arrived in Kuala Lumpur from Denpasar, Indonesia on July 18 then flew to Singapore after three days, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission spokesperson Winston Casio said in a message to reporters late Monday, citing immigration records from these countries.
Guo arrived in Batam, Indonesia from Singapore via a ferry boat on August 18, he added. Her lawyer, Stephen David, said in a phone call on Tuesday that Guo told him she’s still in the Philippines.
The ex-mayor’s bank accounts were earlier frozen over suspected money laundering, human trafficking and fraud. She was investigated by the Senate over her alleged ties to China-centric casinos that have since been banned. Her camp has denied wrongdoing.
The Philippines’ Department of Justice also said Tuesday that it will investigate how Guo was able to exit the country despite an immigration lookout bulletin order that directs authorities to closely monitor her movements.
–With assistance from Cliff Venzon.
(Recasts head, lead with president’s statement.)
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