SHEILA Go, sister by expelled Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and Cassandra Ong, have been recommended the indictment by the Department of Justice (DOJ) after their arrest in Indonesia and subsequent return to the Philippines.
This was confirmed by acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, saying the DOJ released a resolution on Tuesday instructing the filing of charges in Pasay City courts on Wednesday.
“We released the resolution yesterday (Tuesday) and gave instructions for its filing before the Pasay courts. We will have to check if it has been filed already,” Fadullon said.
The DOJ recommended charges against Sheila and Ong for disobedience to summons under Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code.
Sheila faces a separate charge for using a fraudulent Philippine passport, a violation of Section 22, paragraph (b)(2) of Republic Act No. 11983, also known as the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.
On the other hand, Ong is set to be charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly harboring, concealing, or facilitating the escape of a criminal offender, a violation of Section 1(c) of Presidential Decree No. 1829.
The Bureau of Immigration has identified Sheila as a Chinese citizen named Zhang Mier, alleging she “fraudulently acquired” a Philippine passport.
Shiela was earlier ordered arrested by the Senate after she failed to heed its summons to appear in its probe of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in Bamban.
The House of Representatives has also ordered Ong’s detention on contempt charges for failing to attend several hearings on alleged POGO-related crimes.
Ong is reported to have leased land to a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.
She is said to hold a 58% stake in Whirlwind Corporation, which leased property to Lucky South 99, a POGO operator, as reported by abogado.com
Reports indicate that Alice Guo evaded arrest at the time, leaving her two companions behind, which led to their capture.
