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Cassandra Ong cited in contempt anew, ordered detained for 30 days

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Job Manahan

Willard Cheng

ABS-CBN News

<div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3069157"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div><p>MANILA – The House Quad Committee on Thursday night ordered the 30-day detention of Cassandra Li Ong at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong after being cited in contempt for the second time.</p><p>The Quadcom accused Ong, representative of Lucky South 99 POGO, of “lying” when lawmakers sought answers about her education.</p><p>The committee sought answers from Ong regarding her completion under the Alternative Learning System (ALS).</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/19/cassandra-ong-s-grad-pic-scrutinized-at-house-probe-dan-fernandez-becomes-target-of-jokes-1404" id="isPasted">Cassandra Ong&#x27;s grad pic scrutinized at House probe; Dan Fernandez becomes target of jokes</a></div><p>Ong also said she could no longer remember her classmates when lawmakers showed a photo of her during graduation.</p><p>“Siguro sila graduating… possible kilala ko sila,” Ong said when shown her photos.</p><p>But some lawmakers noted inconsistencies in some of her answers.</p><p>“Baka hindi ka sa ALS, baka sa ibang bansa ka nag-aral,” said Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano. “Tinatanong kita kung anong school. Incriminating ba ang tanong ko?”</p><p>“Hindi ko lang alam kung anong school,” said Ong. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/9/19/to-make-light-house-probe-dan-fernandez-asks-cassandra-ong-about-her-salon-look-1825" id="isPasted">To &#x27;make light&#x27; House probe, Dan Fernandez asks Cassandra Ong about her &#x27;salon&#x27; look</a></div><p>This was when Paduano told her she was lying. He said the question was meant to get her records from her previous school.</p><p>The exchange prompted Paduano to cite Ong in contempt for the second time, which was approved by Rep. Ace Barbers.</p><p>Members of the committee did not object the motion.</p><p>In a release, the House described the facility as something that “typically houses those whose convictions are final, much like its male counterpart, the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.”</p><p>She will be transferred to the Women&#x27;s Correctional on Sept. 26, according to the House.</p><p>This is supposedly the last day of her 30-day detention from her first contempt order last Aug. 28.</p><div><br id="isPasted"/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>‘ABUSE OF CONTEMPT POWER’ </strong></span><strong><br/></strong></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ong’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said the latest contempt order was an “abuse of contempt power” of the legislature.</span><br/><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Binabalewala po nila yung right to remain silent na hindi ko naman po alam kung bakit. Ang sinasabi ko nga po, to remain silent is in the Constitution. When you take your oath of office, you swear to uphold and protect all the laws of the Philippines, including the Constitution,” Topacio said.  </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Bakit sila pong mga mambabatas ang lumalabag sa batas? I want to remind them, sila po ay mambabatas. Hindi po sila ang batas,” he added. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Topacio claimed the inquiry was no longer in aid of legislation and “has outrun the bounds of reason and has resulted in sheer oppression.”</span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">He noted that under a 2023 Supreme Court ruling, witnesses should be accorded due process and allowed to explain why a contempt order should not be issued. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The lawyer said he would write the committee a letter on Monday stating his legal position.</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="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/29/cassandra-ong-denies-links-to-pogo-operations-2130">Cassandra Ong denies links to POGO operations</a></span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Topacio earlier filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court for Congress to recognize Ong’s constitutional right to remain silent during its quadcom hearings.</span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">He said would supplement his petition “to bring to the attention of the High Tribunal these latest abuses.”</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="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/28/cassandra-ong-admits-links-to-whirlwind-corp-lucky-south-99-613">Cassandra Ong says Alice Guo is not her business partner or friend</a></span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Topacio said he has not yet spoken to his client since Thursday night. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Of course, na-istress siya. We have already brought to the attention of the legislators na nagkakaroon ng mental health problems si Cassandra. Kita niyo naman kahapon. Ngunit ayaw nilang paliwalaan. Wala po tayong magagawa if our legislators have turned into monsters na parang they take glee and delight in tormenting their fellow human beings,” he 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="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/6/lawmakers-believe-cassandra-ong-a-dummy-investor-1720">Lawmakers believe Cassandra Ong a &#x27;dummy&#x27; investor</a></span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The House Quad Committee on Thursday night ordered the 30-day detention of Cassandra Li Ong at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong after being cited in contempt for the second time.</p>

The House Quad Committee on Thursday night ordered the 30-day detention of Cassandra Li Ong at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong after being cited in contempt for the second time.