CASSANDRA ONG RELEASED FROM DETENTION, NOW AT-LARGE

CASSANDRA “Cassie” Ong, the business associate of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo who was freed  from detention, is now at-large.

This was revealed during the Department of Justice’s  (DOJ) 2026 budget hearing at the Senate on Friday.

During the plenary deliberations, Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked the DOJ if Ong remains under detention at present. 

DOJ budget sponsor Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, speaking on behalf of the agency, said Ong was already released in detention when the 19^th Congress ended.

“Na-detain ho siya sa House. And then because of the transition from the 19th Congress to the 20th Congress, pinalabas siya sa detention. At that point, wala pang kaso,” he said.

According to Gatchalian.  Ong now faces a qualified human trafficking case.

Unfortunately, Gatchalian said the case was only filed after Ong was released.

Authorities are now searching for Ong.

Gatchalian said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is verifying whether she has left the country.

“Automatic naman po ‘yung hold departure order, so pinapa-verify lang po kung nakawala na. Ang kinakatakutan lang natin baka rin ‘yung the same sa backdoor, you remember kay Alice Guo. But ngayon po meron ng warrant of arrest at hinahabol na ho siya ng ating kapulisan at enforcement agencies,” said Gatchalian. 

The Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 118 on May 8, 2025 issued a warrant of arrest against Ong, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, and several others for their alleged involvement in the operations of an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO)  in Pampanga.