CASSANDRA Li-Ong, alleged business partner of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, has reportedly expressed a preference for immediate imprisonment over appearing before Congress.
This decision, according to her legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio, stems from the emotional and mental toll she has endured during previous legislative hearings.
Topacio, in a media briefing on Saturday, stated that Li-Ong feels overwhelmed and unable to endure further public scrutiny. He conveyed her message to the Senate, where she was scheduled to appear on Monday, stating: “Ms. Ong can’t take it anymore. She said if the lawmakers want to send her to jail, she’ll just go to jail instead of appearing again in a legislative hearing and be subjected to humiliation, bullying or being ridiculed in front of millions of people. Even in the Women’s Correctional she will accept it. She no longer wants to testify.”
Topacio emphasized that this decision was solely Li-Ong’s, stating that his role as a lawyer is to provide legal counsel, not emotional guidance. He appealed to the Senate’s “better nature” to consider Li-Ong’s plight and refrain from subjecting her to further “indignities.”
Topacio attributed Li-Ong’s emotional distress to the trauma she experienced during previous hearings at the House of Representatives. He stated that she has been experiencing mental health problems, including physical manifestations, and has even been hospitalized due to her condition.
Li-Ong’s decision comes after she was repatriated to the Philippines in August following her apprehension in Indonesia alongside Shiela Guo, the dismissed mayor’s sister. Both women have been involved in hearings at the House regarding illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Li-Ong’s refusal to participate in further congressional hearings raises questions about the potential impact on the ongoing investigation into illegal POGO operations. It remains unclear how her absence will affect the Senate’s proceedings and the overall investigation.
