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Cassandra Li Ong, representative of Lucky South 99 POGO, appears before the House of Representatives quad committee investigating alleged extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, the crimes linked to illegal drugs, as well as in POGOs on Wednesday. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17248833456711724883343975.png" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Cassandra Li Ong, representative of Lucky South 99 POGO, appears before the House of Representatives quad committee investigating alleged extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, the crimes linked to illegal drugs, as well as in POGOs on Wednesday. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA – Cassandra Ong on Wednesday night denied that former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo was her friend or business partner. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ong said she only knew Guo through her boyfriend Wesley, who is the former mayor’s brother. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Rep. Bienvenido Abante asked Ong if Alice Guo is her business partner. Ong said no. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ong also denied her ties to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“‘Yung business namin is nagre-rent lang sa mga – building. Real estate lang,” said Ong. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I am not related to any POGO,” she added. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Abante then asked Ong if she is Alice Guo’s friend. “Kakilala po… dahil kay Wesley Guo,” she said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/28/house-quad-committee-lifts-second-contempt-order-vs-cassandra-ong-152" id="isPasted">House Quad Committee lifts second contempt order vs Cassandra Ong</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/njKhM7Eno3w?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>ONG, WHIRLWIND, AND LUCKY SOUTH 99 </strong></span><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ong admitted working for Whirlwind Corp., the alleged firm leasing the Barangay Santa Cruz property to Lucky South 99, which is the illegal POGO raided in Porac, Pampanga last June. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez asked Ong if she was linked to Whirlwind Corp. and Lucky South 99, and she answered in the affirmative. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Asked again if these corporations were made for legitimate purposes, Ong responded, “Yes.” </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ong denied she started as an executive assistant at Lucky South 99. She did not provide further explanation. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Yun ang alam ng other people but hindi,” she said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">House Quad Committee lifts second contempt order vs Cassandra Ong</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">She also refused to say where she started “for privacy reasons” but said she had an experience in “processing applications” in some corporations.</span><br/><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Nag-deal din kayo ng applications of other corporations, hindi lang Whirlwind? Tama? Would you care to share with us what other corporations you’ve dealt with?” said Gutierrez. </span><br/><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Lucky South 99,” said Ong. </span><br/><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Asked if there were other companies she worked for in processing applications for the Securities and Exchange Commission, she said there were none.</span><br/><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">She added that she processed the license application of Lucky South 99 in Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lucky South 99 was a previously licensed POGO that was raided in June. Several crimes were allegedly happening in the property, including torture.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Department of Justice earlier said that the apprehension of former Lucky South 99 representative Ong and Shiela Guo in Indonesia together establishes the link between the Porac and Bamban POGOs.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Shiela is a relative of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="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="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The former mayor has been on the run after she was accused of facilitating POGO operations in her town and being a Chinese citizen – which she denied. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Authorities did not find ex-Mayor Guo when Shiela and Ong were apprehended in Indonesia last week.  </span><br/><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lucky South 99&#x27;s Cassandra Ong cites right vs self-incrimination in refusing Senate probe</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>FLEEING PH </strong></span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ong said she left the Philippines through an airport, but denied she was with the former mayor and Shiela Guo when it happened. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">She added that she only met Alice Guo when they were in Malaysia, the siblings’ first stop after leaving the Philippines. From here, they went to Singapore and then to Batam, Indonesia. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Humingi lang ako ng tulong during noong pumunta si Wesley Guo sa Indonesia dahil he’s not familiar with the place. Siyempre nag-alala din ako so nagpatulong ako,” she said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“July nag-message si Wesley Guo na pupunta siya sa Malaysia, at the time, pinuntahan namin siya,” she said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ong said they went to Singapore “to travel” and there were no talks about business. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Hindi kasama si Alice Guo doon,” she said, referring to the corporations she worked for. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Wala akong negosyo, yung side ko with Guo family,” she said. “Si Lucky South 99 pinarenta niya lang. Sub-lease,” she said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Whirlwind allowed Lucky South 99 to lease its building since the latter was previously a licensed POGO, according to Ong. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Rental business. Not POGO business. Real estate,” she said, referring to Whirlwind. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Dahil si Whirlwind pinarentahan kay Lucky South and si Lucky South pinarentahan lang sa mga POGO company,” she said. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Wala akong any relationship with a POGO,” she added.</span><br/><br/></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/27/lucky-south-99-s-cassandra-ong-cites-right-vs-self-incrimination-in-refusing-senate-probe-1120">Lucky South 99&#x27;s Cassandra Ong cites right vs self-incrimination in refusing Senate probe</a></div>

<p>Cassandra Ong on Wednesday night denied that former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo was her friend or business partner.</p>

Cassandra Ong on Wednesday night denied that former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo was her friend or business partner.

Cassandra Ong says Alice Guo is not her business partner or friend

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Cassandra Ong says Alice Guo is not her business partner or friend

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 29, 2024 06:26 AM PHT

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Updated Aug 29, 2024 03:00 PM PHT

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