Cassandra Ong to attend House inquiry on Wednesday

Cassandra Li Ong, a cohort of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, is expected to appear at a House inquiry on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) on Wednesday after the chamber officially took her into custody.

Ong was transferred to the House on the afternoon of Monday by the National Bureau of Investigation, which initially took her and Guo's sister, Sheila Guo, into its custody upon their return to the Philippines last Thursday from Indonesia.

Indonesian authorities arrested Ong and Sheila after they attempted to flee the country. The two were the reported companions of the ex-mayor, who allegedly left the Philippines in July for Malaysia and then arrived in Indonesia from Singapore on 18 August.

Ong was charged and underwent inquest proceedings on Friday for violations under Section 1(c) of Presidential Decree No. 1829 and Section 45(h) of Commonwealth Act No. 613, also known as the "Philippine Immigration Act of 1940." 

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, the chairperson of the so-called quad comm rigorously investigating the proliferation of illegal POGO, said Ong's participation in the inquiry is pivotal given her position in Lucky South 99, which was raided earlier this year over allegations of unlawful activities, such as torture and scam farms.

"Cassandra Li Ong is important because she is our only link to Lucky South 99 and other illegal POGO hubs raided by the PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission). She has huge participation because she appears to be the liaison between these illegal POGOs and PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation)," Barbers told reporters in a Zoom interview.

Ong, the authorized representative of Lucky South 99, is also the purported incorporator of the Whirlwind Corporation, a real estate firm that leased its land in Porac, Pampanga, to Lucky South.

Ong reportedly owns a 58-percent stake in Whirlwind Corporation.

According to Barbers, they also need to obtain information from Ong about the owners, lawyers, and incorporators involved in the illicit POGO operations "because it's clear that there are numerous illegal activities going on."

"The first question we need to ask her is whether she was aware of the scam hubs, torture, prostitution, and other illicit activities. Cassandra Li Ong is a very vital resource person in the quad committee's investigation into illegal POGOs," he stressed. 

Ong is a client of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who is also being implicated in POGO operations. Lawmakers suspect Roque is the legal head of the Lucky South 99.

The quad comm had previously cited Ong in contempt after she repeatedly failed to appear before the POGO hearing despite a show-cause order. 

Both Roque and Ong were tagged as persons of interest by the PAOCC in its investigation into the POGO hub in Porc, Pampanga.

Meanwhile, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., chairperson of the House Committee on Human Rights comprising the quad comm, is keen that Roque is involved in illegal POGO operations.

"As the saying goes, 'If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it is most likely a duck.' The actions of Atty. Roque, on behalf of Lucky South 99, contradicts his words, and we believe Ms. Ong can help us settle this matter once and for all," Abante said in a separate interview on Monday.

Roque has repeatedly denied his alleged involvement in illegal POGO operations even as his bank documents and that of his former executive assistant Alberto Rodulfo "AR" de la Serna were among those found by the PAOCC during its raid on Lucky South 99 in July.

Roque earlier confirmed that Whirlwind Corporation is also his client but claimed that it was merely a service provider of Lucky South 99.

Previously, it was also revealed that Roque escorted Ong to PAGCOR to ask its chairperson, Alejandro Tengco, to allow Lucky South 99 to reschedule the payment of its unpaid taxes, which were projected to be at least $500,000.

"Given that Atty. Roque is an experienced lawyer, it is hard to believe that he is unaware that Cassandra Ong is not only the president of Whirlwind, a supposed real estate firm, but also the president of Lucky South 99, which actually owns the POGO hub," Abante pointed out. 

The quad committee, led by Barbers and Abante—along with Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, chair of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, and Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, chair of the Committee on Public Accounts—has been spearheading the inquiry into illegal POGO operations, which flourished during the Duterte administration.

The committee's investigation has revealed a complex web of illegal activities, including money laundering, human trafficking, and the exploitation of foreign workers, all tied to the POGO industry.

The quad committee has vowed to intensify its efforts to dismantle the illegal POGO networks in the country, focusing on those who have facilitated and profited from these illicit activities. 

The panel has also urged other key figures associated with the POGO industry to come forward and cooperate with the investigation.