September 11, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) filed a qualified trafficking complaint against Cassandra Li Ong and over 50 others in connection with Lucky South 99, the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub raided in Porac, Pampanga.
The complaint, filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday, accused Ong, the authorized representative of the POGO hub, and the others of violating Republic Act (RA) 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking In Persons Act.
Other respondents included Ronelyn Baterna, the corporate secretary of Lucky South 99; former president Stephanie Mascareñas; Duanren Wu, Whirlwind Corporation executive who is Ong’s boss and godfather; former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center deputy director general Dennis Cunanan and other incorporators.
Also included was Singaporean Zhang Jie, the former president of Lucky South 99 Outsourcing who allegedly booked four rooms at the Harris Hotel Batam Center for dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo and her siblings when they left the country.
DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said Ong was named as the respondent as she is one of the incorporators and owners of Whirlwind Corporation and there is evidence that she operated Lucky South 99.
Ty said the investigation team does not accept Ong’s defense that she is only involved with Whirlwind Corporation as a lessor of land and not Lucky South 99 since there is a “conspiracy” between the two firms.
He said the “union” of Whirlwind and Lucky South 99 is a “criminal enterprise,” which was established to conduct illegal activities from the start.
“Right from the start, when the enterprise was built, it was already conceived for illegal activities. The very making of the enterprise is illegal,” Ty said.
Victim-complainants
Over 10 witness-complainants, who include foreign nationals, were trafficking victims of the Porac POGO hub. Authorities said they were kidnapped and forced to work in Lucky South 99.
Some of them were forced to work in the POGO hub after incurring debts in casinos.
PAOCC spokesman Winston Casio said that while there are many victims in Lucky South 99, the 10 witness-complainants are those with horrible experiences in the POGO hub.
“They were prodded to get loans from casinos for the purpose of selling them. Lucky South 99 is notorious within the POGO communities because they are among the largest buyers of people,” Casio said.
According to Ty, they will also seek the forfeiture of the POGO hub.
“That is another case that we will file, which will involve the criminal and civil forfeiture of the assets, including the large compound in Porac,” he added.
Those found guilty of qualified trafficking may face life imprisonment, he said.
Apart from the qualified trafficking complaint, Ong also faces a money laundering complaint along with Guo and others.
Baterna’s detention
The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the House of Representatives’ quad committee to explain the continued detention of Baterna who was cited in contempt during the panel’s inquiry into the illegal operations of Lucky South 99.
According to the SC public information office, the high tribunal gave the respondents 72 hours to file a return under preliminary citation to explain Baterna’s detention and why it should issue a writ of habeas corpus to order her release.
The SC sought the comment after Ronelyn’s father Rogelio filed a petition for certiorari, with urgent prayer for the issuance of writ of habeas corpus.
The High Court also gave the respondents 10 days to file their comment to the petition.
The named respondents were Reps. Robert Ace Barbers, Dan Fernandez, Antonio Ferrer, Joseph Stephen Paduano, Bienvenido Abante and Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr.
Baterna was cited in contempt and ordered detained for 30 days by the House panel on Aug. 7 after lawmakers were frustrated with her inconsistent answers when they were looking into her involvement in the Lucky South 99.
On Aug. 28, the panel lifted the contempt order against Baterna, allowing her to leave the House’s Custodial Center where she was detained. — Cecille Suerte Felipe
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