By Akbayan Partyt president Rafaela David
Alice Guo has been arrested in Indonesia.
Senate hearings had exposed her ties to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) and her election to office despite not being a Filipino citizen.
Like Guo, it is only a matter of time before notorious figures like fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy, who is accused of rape, child abuse and human trafficking, and former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, are similarly brought to justice.
We commend the Indonesian authorities for their unwavering commitment to justice and their success in apprehending Guo. This cooperation between our nations sends a clear warning to the likes of Quiboloy, Duterte and others who may attempt to flee the country to escape justice.
Arestado na si Alice (Alice has been arrested). Quiboloy, Digong, Bato, Roque at iba pa, kayo na ang susunod (Quiboloy, Duterte, Bato, Roque, and their enablers are next)! Your days of impunity are numbered, and with each passing day, your world grows smaller. Bilang na mga araw ninyo!
Guo is merely a symptom of the broader problem posed by the illegal Pogos operating in the country. The next crucial step is to hold those responsible for their spread — and the associated crimes and abuses — fully accountable.
Duterte’s presidency was characterized by a reckless pivot to China, the unchecked rise of Pogos, Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, and a bloody drug war that claimed the lives of thousands of Filipinos.
Duterte and his gang of plunderers, abusers, traitors and murderers are on an inevitable path to one destination — infamy within the confines of a prison cell.