THE Department of Justice (DOJ) is offering a P1 million reward for information regarding the location of Cassandra Li Ong, who is facing human trafficking charges, according to Justice Acting Secretary Fredderick Vida on Tuesday.
In a press briefing, Vida stated that the department is offering the reward for “credible, actionable information” that will lead to the discovery, location, and arrest of Ong.
“We know that in the past they had the capability. They had the capability to move around, operate, and enter or exit the Philippines without being detected,” the acting secretary said.
The reward comes after Senator Sherwin Gatchalian told a Senate panel that Ong has been released from detention from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City and is now “at large.”
Vida admitted that the DOJ is having difficulty tracking Ong’s movement. He said that they cannot conclude whether Ong is still in the country or has already left.
“Definitely with the current information that we have, we don’t have enough. That’s why we’re offering the reward. And it’s an effective tool,” he said.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission has stated that Ong’s last location was tracked in Japan. It said that there is no information on her location after that.
Meanwhile, the Pasig Regional Trial Court has ordered the cancellation of the passports of Ong and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
In a video posted on his Facebook, Roque said that the ruling is not yet final, and that he will file a motion for reconsideration.
However, Justice Undersecretary Nicky Ty said that the cancellation order is final and will be executed by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
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