The Philippine National Police (PNP) has significantly escalated its international efforts to locate and apprehend Cassandra Ong, a fugitive central to the controversial Lucky South 99 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) hub in Porac, Pampanga.
International Coordination for Arrest
PNP acting chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. confirmed the intensified operations, revealing that coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies has been expanded to pinpoint Ong's exact location. This directive comes directly from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., guided by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, with the goal of strengthening crackdowns on illegal Pogo activities and ensuring full accountability for human trafficking crimes.
The PNP will do everything to bring her back here so she can face the cases filed against her, Nartatez stated, underscoring the force's commitment.
Flight and Active Warrant
According to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Ong fled to Japan earlier this year following her release from the Correctional Institute for Women. Her initial detention stemmed from being cited in contempt by a House Quad Committee investigating Pogo-linked crimes in September 2024.
Ong currently faces an active warrant of arrest issued by the Pampanga Regional Trial Court in May for the charge of qualified human trafficking. This is connected to the alleged scam hub operations run out of Lucky South 99.
Interpol Red Notice and Passport Cancellation
Nartatez announced that the PNP will be working closely with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) following the issuance of a red notice against Ong. The PNP is committed to delivering justice to the victims of illegal Pogo hubs, he asserted. Those involved in these illegal operations must face the consequences of their actions.
Echoing the sentiment for justice, Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee that led the Pogo probe, has called for the cancellation of Ong's passport. Cassie Li Ong cannot be allowed to escape accountability, Hontiveros said. She is facing a human trafficking case -- this is not a minor traffic violation that can simply be ignored.
