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.
ia/mnm