MALACANANG confirmed on Tuesday that Cassandra Li Ong, who is facing human trafficking charges, is currently in the Philippines.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro announced the information during a press briefing, stating that it came from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). “At present, Ms. Cassandra Ong is in the Philippines. The operations to track her continue,” Castro said.
The confirmation comes amidst conflicting reports regarding Ong’s whereabouts. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian previously stated that Ong had been released from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City and was “at large.” The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission had earlier tracked her last location in Japan.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has offered a P1-million reward for information leading to Ong’s capture. Warrants of arrest were issued against Ong and others in May by the Angeles, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 118 for qualified human trafficking in connection with the alleged scam hub run by Lucky South 99.
Ong’s legal challenges have also been unsuccessful. In July, the Court of Appeals (CA) dismissed her petition against the DOJ resolution that indicted her for qualified human trafficking.
Authorities are intensifying their efforts to locate and apprehend Ong, given the severity of the charges against her. The public is urged to provide any information that could assist in her capture.
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