POGO incorporator confirms meeting with Marcos, first lady – counsel

Metro Manila, Philippines – An incorporator of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub said that she met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, a legal counsel bared on Monday, Aug. 28.

A photo of Cassandra Li Ong, together with government officials, circulated online. Ong’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said his client confirmed the authenticity of the picture.

“This picture may hold a clue as to why POGO operations, especially illegal POGO, multiplied during the time of President Marcos because they were being aided and abetted by some officials of the present administration,” Topacio said in a press forum.

“Ito na rin sigurong picture na ito ang clue kung bakit nagkaroon bigla ng crackdown sa POGO operations,” he went on.

[Translation: This picture is also a clue on why there was a sudden crackdown on POGO operations.]

Topacio said that Ong has information on POGOs but it will be revealed “at the right time.”

Noting that the information may be “self-incriminatory,” the lawyer is hoping that both chambers of Congress will not try to threaten his client to waive her right to remain silent and to self-incrimination.

Ong, incorporator of raided Lucky South 99 and a business associate of embattled former mayor Alice Guo, was caught in Indonesia last week. Guo’s sister Shiela was also apprehended together with Ong.

They returned to the Philippines on Aug. 22. After arriving, Shiela and Ong went to the Bureau of Immigration for processing of documents. They were then turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The two faced inquest – Shiela for immigration violation and Ong for obstruction of justice and Philippine Passport Act violation.

Topacio questioned the NBI’s detention.

“Walang warrant, walang kaso, ide-detain mo sa NBI? Sabi ko nga, kung pagdating niyan, tinurn over n'yo sa House sergeant-at-arms, wala naman tayong problema diyan,” he said. “That is arbitrary detention.”

[Translation: No warrant, no case, then you would detain at the NBI? As I said, if they turned her over to the House sergeant-at-arms, there would be no problem.]

Earlier, the House leadership ordered its sergeant-at-arms to detain Ong. Shiela, meanwhile, has an arrest order from the Senate.

But Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano later said that authorities and both houses of Congress agreed to give the custody for the two to the NBI.