Another co-accused of Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong arrested
Authorities arrested in Pampanga another co-accused of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Cassandra Ong in a qualified trafficking in persons case.
The person was identified as "Mariano," one of 49 co-accused of Roque and Ong.
Mariano was arrested by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Anti-Organized Crime Unit (CIDG AOCU) in Clark, Pampanga, the CIDG said in a press release issued Saturday.
According to the CIDG, Mariano is one of the security guards on duty "when the alleged qualified trafficking in persons happened in Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc., a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga."
"I urge the other 49 co-accused to surrender yourselves to the CIDG and authorities because the Tracker Teams are pursuing you 24/7 and will catch you anytime soon. Isa-isa na kayong natutunton (We are tracking you one by one)," CIDG Director Police Major General Nicolas Torre III said.
The CIDG deployed tracker teams nationwide starting May 15 to serve arrest warrants against Roque, Ong, and several others.
Roque and others are the subject of arrest warrants for qualified trafficking in persons in connection with the illegal activities in POGO hub Lucky South 99 in Pampanga. No bail was recommended.
The arrest warrants were issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 118, Angeles City, Pampanga on May 15.
"The Warrant of Arrest stemmed from the airtight complaint filed by CIDG Anti-Organized Crime Unit (AOCU) against the accused in connection with the implementation of Search Warrants for Violation of Republic Act 9208 (Anti- Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 as amended) in alleged Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs - Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc. in Grand Palazzo Royals, Fil-Am Friendship Hi-way, Brgy. Cutcut, Porac, Angeles City, Pampanga on June 7, 2024," the CIDG said.
On May 22, one of the co-accused of Roque and Ong, a man identified as "Marlon", was arrested in an entrapment operation in in Barangay Tabun, Mabalacat City, Pampanga. Marlon was the operation officer of the security agency operating when the qualified trafficking in persons was happening in Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc, the CIDG said.
Roque has denied the accusation and said he is not and has never been a legal counsel of any illegal POGO and was neither a counsel of Lucky South 99. He also said that he only accompanied Ong in a meeting previously as he thought she was a victim of estafa.
The former presidential spokesperson is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands. —KG, GMA Integrated News
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