Alice Guo, a mayor in the Philippines accused of being a Chinese spy, has gone into hiding after a warrant for her arrest was issued. Guo, linked to scam centres in her town of Bamban, has denied the allegations and claims her Chinese parentage is being used against her. Her case has captivated the nation amid ongoing tensions between Manila and Beijing. Despite her absence, Guo's constituents continue to support her due to her social outreach programs.
Criminal gangs are trafficking hundreds of thousands of people into scam centres and other illegal online operations in Southeast Asia, according to a report by the United Nations. The report estimates that at least 120,000 people in Myanmar and approximately 100,000 in Cambodia are trapped in these operations, with other criminal-owned enterprises in Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand. The fast-growing scam centres generate billions of dollars in revenue each year. The UN called on regional governments to strengthen the rule of law and tackle corruption to combat this issue.
