Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong, at iba pa, ipinapa-aresto; Pampanga RTC, naglabas ng warrant

- Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong, and others, were ordered arrested by a Pampanga court

- Angeles City RTC Branch 118 recently issued an arrest warrant for the said personalities for a human traff1cking case

- The charges against Roque and the others stem from their alleged involvement with Lucky South 99 in Porac

- The court found probable cause for violations of the Anti-Traff1cking in Persons Act of 2003, a non-bailable offense

A regional trial court (RTC) in Angeles City, Pampanga, has issued an arrest warrant for former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and businesswoman Cassandra Ong, along with nine others, in connection with a human traff1cking case linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.

Presiding Judge Rene Reyes of Angeles City RTC Branch 118 signed the order on May 8, 2025, finding probable cause to charge Roque, Ong, and their co-accused with violations of Section 4(1), in relation to Section 6(c) of Republic Act No. 9208, also known as the Anti-Traff1cking in Persons Act of 2003.

These violations are classified as non-bailable.

The charges stemmed from their alleged involvement in the operations of Lucky South 99, a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) had previously filed cases of qualified and regular human traff1cking against Roque, citing his participation not only as a lawyer for Whirlwind Corporation, which leased land to Lucky South 99, but also as a purported representative of the POGO.

Ong was identified as the alleged representative of Lucky South 99. She was previously apprehended in Indonesia in August 2024 and subsequently returned to the Philippines.

Roque, who served as former President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson, departed the Philippines in September 2024 after being cited for contempt for failing to attend House hearings investigating offshore gambl1ng sites used as fronts for criminal activities.

In December 2024, Roque submitted his counter-affidavit from the United Arab Emirates, denying that he was the lawyer for Lucky South 99.

He has since sought asylum in the Netherlands, claiming political persecution through unjust prosecution.

The DOJ has stated its intention to block Roque’s asylum application upon the issuance of an arrest warrant.

Furthermore, the Philippine government intends to request that the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) place Roque on its red notice list should the warrant be issued.

A red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

Harry Roque is a Filipino lawyer and politician. He was the presidential spokesperson during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Before entering politics, he used to be a professor in law school.

The processing of former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque's asylum application in the Netherlands will take one and a half years. Roque will remain in the Netherlands and will not be deported while awaiting the outcome of his application. He decided to file for asylum after Congress issued an order for his arrest in connection with his alleged involvement with POGOs. He admitted that he sobbed while signing his asylum application after nearly half a year in hiding in the Philippines.

It can be recalled that Atty. Roque has made it clear in the past about his intention to seek asylum in the Netherlands. The former presidential spokesperson himself made the declaration in a recent online press conference. He said that if his asylum status is approved, he cannot be deported to the Philippines. Atty. Roque also said that he cannot come home as he has to defend former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Source: KAMI.com.gh