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Cassandra Ong's legal camp questions Indonesia arrest

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Cassandra Ong&#x27;s camp questioned her arrest and deportation by Indonesian authorities, after she was identified as one of the incorporators of Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga. </p><p>In an interview with ANC, Atty. Ferdie Topacio said Ong was in &quot;high spirits&quot; as she is convinced of her innocence.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/22/how-indonesian-authorities-busted-alice-guo-s-sister-alleged-cohort-1506">How Indonesian authorities busted Alice Guo&#x27;s sister, alleged cohort</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/21/ph-notifies-interpol-on-alice-guo-case-hontiveros-1143">PH notifies Interpol on Alice Guo case: Hontiveros</a></div><p>&quot;Even if you are charged with any crime, unless and until there is a case filed in court and warrant issued, you cannot be taken in detention by NBI and PNP, palusot lang po yan. She will be charged, that is the information, only warrant from the House is existing,&quot; Topacio said.</p><p>Ong, along with Shiela Guo, the expelled Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo&#x27;s sister, were arrested in Indonesia and deported to the Philippines on Thursday. </p><p>The pair were arrested at the Mega Mall Batam Center last Tuesday. Authorities did not find the dismissed mayor and her brother Wesley.</p><p>Sen. Raffy Tulfo&#x27;s group said the group entered Indonesia from Singapore through a cruise ship.</p><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the Bureau of Immigration should explain why it supposedly kept the information on Guo’s escape from the Senate.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Gatchalian said he was told that the BI knew about the alleged exit weeks before Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros revealed it in a privileged speech last Monday.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">  </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Narinig ko sa mga ibang ahensiya na maaga nilang alam…bina-validate lang. Pero dapat nainform rin yung public dahil ang public ang kakampi mo dito eh. In fact yung mga pictures na iba, I understand galing rin sa publiko, may mga nakakuha ng pictures ni Guo Hua Ping at pinadala sa mga enforcement agencies natin,&quot; he said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;In other words, even us di kami binigyan ng briefing kung in confidence yan sana humingi ng executive session at ini-brief muna na tayo na nakaalis na o ano,&quot; he added.     </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Gatchalian said the accountability of concerned officials would be the focus of next week&#x27;s Senate hearing. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)" id="isPasted"></span><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Kung titignan natin yung coastline natin, talagang mahirap bantayan. So yan yung mga bagay na siguro kailangan natin ireview, pagtuunan ng pansin para hindi na mangyari yung mga ganitong mga bagay na nakakalabas ng bansa na hindi nalalaman ng otoridad na kagaya namin,” said CIDG chief PMaj. Leo Francisco. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>– With reports from RG Cruz and Jeff Caparas, ABS-CBN News </strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3066743"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script>

<p>In an interview with ANC, Atty. Ferdie Topacio said Ong was in "high spirits" as she is convinced of her innocence.</p>

In an interview with ANC, Atty. Ferdie Topacio said Ong was in "high spirits" as she is convinced of her innocence.