Roque, Cassandra Ong, over 40 others face qualified trafficking charges

Metro Manila, Philippines - Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Philippine offshore gaming operation (POGO) hub representative Cassandra Li Ong are facing qualified trafficking charges, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

Prosecutors filed the cases before a court in Angeles, Pampanga. The charges are in relation to the raided Lucky South 99, a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga allegedly committing illegal activities.

Roque was linked to the POGO hub after bank documents with his name were found during the raid.

“Basta naipakita na involved ka du’n sa pagpundar, pag-organize ng isang institution na nagamit sa human trafficking, maari kang makaso du’n at ang mga respondents, makikita n’yo naman may kanya-kanyang kontribusyon sa pagpundar ng POGO dito sa Porac,” DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said in a chance interview on Monday, April 28.

[Translation: As long as evidence showed you were involved in establishing and organizing an institution used for human trafficking, you may face a case. With the respondents, you can see their own contributions in founding the POGO in Porac.]

Roque earlier noted that he lawyered for Whirlwind Corp., the firm that leased the land to Lucky South 99.

“‘Yung depensa naman ng mga iba diyan na sinasabi nila na magkahiwalay ‘yung Lucky South 99 ‘tsaka ‘yung Whirlwind pero para sa mga fiscal, tinuring nilang iisang grupo ‘to,” Ty said.

[Translation: Their defense is Lucky South 99 and Whirlwind are different entities but for the fiscal, it is one group.]

Roque considered the case filing as “unjust prosecution.” He said he will include it as evidence in his asylum bid in the Netherlands.

“No element of human trafficking is present. There is no evidence that I recruited, transferred, transported, or harbored Chinese or Filipino workers for forced labor and prostitution,” he said in a social media post.

“It is likewise ludicrous to say that I have exploited workers through force, coercion, fraud, deception, or abuse of power. Neither is there an iota of evidence of conspiracy. I do not know any official or employee in Lucky South 99, except for Ms. Ong,” he added.

Ong’s legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said the charges against his client are “baseless.”

Aside from Roque and Ong, more than 40 others were also charged.