COURT ORDERS ARREST OF HARRY ROQUE, CASSANDRA ONG FOR ALLEGED HUMAN TRAFFICKING

A REGIONAL Trial Court in Angeles City, Pampanga has issued an arrest warrant against former presidential spokesman lawyer Harry Roque,  businesswoman Cassandra Li Ong, and several others in connection with a human trafficking case linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga

Ong is the alleged representative of the POGO hub Lucky South 99 in Porac town.

Angeles City RTC Branch 118 issued the warrants after the court found probable cause against Roque, Ong, and       nine others, for non-bailable violations under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

The charges were based on findings from a series of government raids on suspected POGO operations where widespread forced labor, illegal detention, and other trafficking-related offenses were discovered by the authorities.

Prosecutors cited violations of Section 4(l) in relation to Section 6(c) of Republic Act 9208, which covers acts that facilitate trafficking such as recruitment and exploitation of persons.

Aside from Roque and Ong, several other individuals were named in the cases, including Chinese and Filipinos allegedly involved in gaming hubs operating under the guise of POGO.

Earlier , the National Bureau of Investigation (NB) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted raids in Pampanga, exposing a network of criminal activity involving not only trafficking but also cybercrime and financial fraud.

Meanwhile, Roque left the Philippines in September after being cited for contempt for refusing to attend House hearings into offshore gambling sites used as fronts for criminal activities.

In December last year, he filed his counter-affidavit from the United Arab Emirates and denied being the lawyer of Lucky South 99.

He has sought asylum in the Netherlands, citing alleged political persecution through unjust prosecution.