By Junex Doronio

MANILA — The House Quad Committee on Thursday (19 Sept 2024) night ordered a 30-day detention of Katherine Cassandra Li Ong at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, after citing her for contempt for the second time, this time for “lying” during the ongoing investigation into illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Currently detained at the House of Representatives, Ong will be transferred to the CIW after her initial 30-day contempt penalty for skipping hearings. Her incarceration at the CIW) will end on September 26.

The CIW is the country’s sole penal facility exclusively for women offenders, typically housing those with final convictions, much like its male counterpart, the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

Ong, linked to a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga that was raided for various illegal activities, was cited for contempt again after allegedly providing false testimony about her educational background.

Abang Lingkod Partylist Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, co-chair of the Quad Committee, questioned Ong’s claim of completing the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in 2016 or 2017, pointing out inconsistencies in her statements about where she attended the program.

During a heated exchange, Paduano expressed frustration over Ong’s failure to provide specific details about her schooling.

“You’re lying, Ms. Cassandra Ong. Remember, you were previously cited in contempt, and I will cite you again for lying,” Paduano said, after Ong struggled to recall basic information about her education.

Ong claimed she had difficulty remembering the name of the public school where she allegedly enrolled in ALS, stating she had “forgotten” the details.

However, Paduano was unconvinced, finding Ong’s explanation implausible. “Kahit sinong tanungin mo dito, alam nila kung saan sila nag-elementary, saan sila nag-high school,” he remarked.

Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop agreed, adding, “I’m older, but I still remember where I graduated from elementary. And you, so young, can’t even recall where you studied? Anak ng tinapay naman.”

Paduano further questioned the suspicious nature of Ong’s inability to provide details. “Pwede ba ‘yan na hindi mo alam kung saang school ka na-enroll for ALS? Or maybe you didn’t take ALS. Maybe you studied abroad,” he speculated.

Following the exchange, Paduano moved to cite Ong in contempt for a second time, a motion swiftly approved by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the overall chair of the Quad Committee, with no objections raised.

Rep. Acop then proposed transferring Ong to CIW if the detention facility inside the House of Representatives was full.

“Since Ms. Cassandra Ong has already been cited in contempt, may I move that she be detained at the Correctional Institution for Women,” Acop said. The motion was also approved without objections.

The House Quad Committee has intensified its investigation into illegal POGO operations and their links to illicit activities, including money laundering, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.

Ong’s testimony, or lack thereof, has been a focal point of the probe as lawmakers continue to scrutinize her involvement in Lucky South 99, whose POGO hub in Porac was raided last June.

Ong was first cited for contempt by the House after repeatedly failing to attend hearings related to POGO-related crimes.

On August 23, Ong was arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia, along with Shiela Guo, sister of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, also allegedly involved in illegal POGO operations.

Both were deported to the Philippines, with Ong handed over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before being transferred to House custody.

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MANILA — The skies over Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were a mix of dusky clouds and fading light on Thursday (22.Aug 2024) afternoon as a plane touched down on the tarmac.

This was no ordinary flight—it carried passengers whose arrival would send ripples through the corridors of power, further complicating the controversial investigation into irregularities involving the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

Among the 183 passengers were two women at the heart of this growing controversy: Sheila Guo, the sister of ousted Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Leal Guo, and Cassandra Li Ong, a young business partner ensnared in the same scandal.

Sheila, 40, and Ong, 24, had been apprehended in Jakarta, Indonesia, just a day earlier. Escorted by four Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents, their return was anything but routine.

Behind the scenes, careful preparations were made to ensure their journey back to the Philippines was tightly controlled.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago, who personally monitored the situation at NAIA, emphasized that the two would be handled “like ordinary passengers.”

Yet, the presence of high-ranking officials like BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco suggested otherwise—this was a high-stakes operation, with much more at play than mere protocol.

Upon arrival, Sheila Guo appeared frail, requiring a wheelchair after a reported fall at the Immigration area.

The tension was palpable as the women were discreetly moved from the airport to the BI headquarters in Manila.

Their final destination for the day: the NBI office in Quezon City, where criminal charges awaited them. These charges, however, are only the beginning.

Sheila’s story is deeply intertwined with that of her sister, the former mayor who is now a fugitive.

Allegations swirl that Sheila aided Alice’s escape from authorities, while Ong is under fire for her role in Lucky South 99, a POGO hub that was illegally operating in Pampanga.

The recent raid on the POGO site has opened a Pandora’s box, revealing layers of corruption and complicity.

For those who witnessed their arrival, a little past 5 in the afternoon, it was clear that these women represent more than just the latest chapter in a political scandal.

They are key figures in a narrative that touches on power, family loyalty, and the blurred lines between legality and influence in the Philippines.

As their cases unfold, the nation watches, waiting to see what secrets might emerge when they testify at the resumption of legislative investigations.

Their story is far from over—it is only just beginning. Meanwhile, the main figure in the ongoing POGO saga, Alice Guo, remains at large. Some speculate she is now in Singapore, though her lawyer insists she has not left the country.

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By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Boying Remulla on Thursday (22 Aug 2024) confirmed that Sheila Guo, sister of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, and Cassandra Ong, linked to Lucky South 99 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in Porac, Pampanga, are now in the custody of Indonesian authorities.

Remulla stated that the two associates of the former town mayor will be sent back to the Philippines.

“They are passport holders, and we suspect that these passports were obtained fraudulently or through fraudulent means. Therefore, we have grounds to bring them back,” the DOJ chief explained.

Remulla also noted that the incident in Indonesia indicates a connection between the POGOs in Bamban, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga.

“We have identified a definite connection between Alice Guo and Cassandra Li Ong, which suggests that Bamban and Porac are closely linked,” he said.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) had earlier revealed a photograph showing the former mayor at Kuala Lumpur airport with a companion, boarding a flight to Singapore on July 21.

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