Court Orders Arrest of Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong Over POGO Operations
ROQUE and ONG – The Regional Trial Court Branch 118 in Angeles City, Pampanga, has issued arrest warrants against former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque, businesswoman Cassandra Ong, and 48 others for charges of qualified human trafficking.
These charges are linked to the operations of Lucky South 99 Corporation, a now-closed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga, which has been at the center of a major trafficking and scam controversy.
Harry Roque, who once served as President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson, is accused of involvement in illegal activities connected to Lucky South 99. He was the legal counsel for Whirlwind Corporation, the company that leased land to the gaming hub. Roque has strongly denied the charges, calling them false and politically motivated. In September 2024, he left the country and was confirmed to be in the United Arab Emirates. He later submitted a counter-affidavit while in Abu Dhabi.
By March 2025, Roque announced he would seek asylum in the Netherlands, citing his role in defending Duterte at the International Criminal Court. However, he was later removed from the former president’s defense team. Despite being overseas, Roque continues to comment on Philippine politics and recently described President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a “lame duck.” In response, the Office of the President has urged him to return and face the legal process.
Cassandra Ong, 24, is a reported stakeholder in Lucky South 99. She was arrested in Indonesia in August 2024 and deported back to the Philippines, where she was detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong. In December 2024, after nearly four months in detention, she was released when the House quad committee lifted a contempt order against her. Despite this, Ong still faces multiple charges, including qualified human trafficking and money laundering. She maintains her innocence, claiming her role in the company was purely administrative.