LAWYER Harry Roque’s client Cassandra Li Ong is now in the custody of the Lower House of Congress.
This was announced by Quad-Committee chairman Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers today, Aug. 26
According to Barbers, Ong was transferred from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to the custody of the House of Representatives where she has an outstanding arrest warrant for contempt for failing to appear in hearings.
It can be recalled that Ong was arrested along with the sibling of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo in Indonesia and promptly transferred by Indonesian authorities to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Philippines.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested the two before Ong was transferred to the House of Representatives, where she was personally escorted by NBI Assistant Director Winmar Ramos and received by House Sergeant-at-Arms retired police Major General Napoleon Taas.
Ong, who is allegedly an official of Whirlwind Corporation, was accompanied by Roque to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) in July to address the issues of Lucky South 99, which was raided by authorities in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque continues to deny any connection to Lucky South 99, claiming that his client, Ong, is only affiliated with Whirlwind.
Due to this, the House committee on public order and safety led by Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez invited Ong, but she did not appear. After several refusals to cooperate with the investigation into POGO, she was held in contempt.
There is no information on whether the NBI has also transferred Guo’s sibling to the custody of the Senate, where separate arrest warrants have been issued by senators against her.
