Trafficking complaint filed vs Ong, others

MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) filed a qualified trafficking complaint against Cassandra Li Ong and over 50 others in connection with Lucky South 99, the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub raided in Porac, Pampanga.

The complaint, filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday, accused Ong, the authorized representative of the POGO hub, and the others of violating Republic Act (RA) 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking In Persons Act.

Other respondents included Ronelyn Baterna, the corporate secretary of Lucky South 99; former president Stephanie Mascareñas; Duanren Wu, Whirlwind Corporation executive who is Ong’s boss and godfather; former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center deputy director general Dennis Cunanan and other incorporators.

Also included was Singaporean Zhang Jie, the former president of Lucky South 99 Outsourcing who allegedly booked four rooms at the Harris Hotel Batam Center for dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo and her siblings when they left the country.

DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said Ong was named as the respondent as she is one of the incorporators and owners of Whirlwind Corporation and there is evidence that she operated Lucky South 99.

Ty said the investigation team does not accept Ong’s defense that she is only involved with Whirlwind Corporation as a lessor of land and not Lucky South 99 since there is a “conspiracy” between the two firms.

He said the “union” of Whirlwind and Lucky South 99 is a “criminal enterprise,” which was established to conduct illegal activities from the start.

“Right from the start, when the enterprise was built, it was already conceived for illegal activities. The very making of the enterprise is illegal,” Ty said.

Over 10 witness-complainants, who include foreign nationals, were trafficking victims of the Porac POGO hub. Authorities said they were kidnapped and forced to work in Lucky South 99.

Some of them were forced to work in the POGO hub after incurring debts in casinos.

PAOCC spokesman Winston Casio said that while there are many victims in