Pasig court cancels passports of Harry Roque, 4 others amid human trafficking probe
A court in Pasig City announced the cancellation of the passports of former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque, Lucky 99 Representative Cassandra Ong, and three other individuals amid human trafficking charges filed against them as the probe continues on the alleged illegal activities involving Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga.
According to the authorities, the case stemmed from the rescue of 158 foreign employees from the Lucky 99 scam hub, where they suffered from severe torture, kidnapping, and sex trafficking.
In a document dated Nov. 19 but just released on Monday, Nov. 24, Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 157 Presiding Judge Ana Terese Cornejo Tomacruz approved the petition to cancel the passports of Roque, Ong, Ronelyn Baterna, Dennis Cunanan, and Mercides Peralta Macabasa.
The same court also issued hold departure orders against other accused individuals, including Ong, Baterna, Macabasa, and Cunanan
Philippine National Police acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., earlier said the police and other concerned agencies were already put on standby to apprehend Roque after the Philippine government requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a Red Notice against him.
A Red Notice is an alert issued by Interpol to its member countries, requesting the location and provisional arrest of a person wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence, based on a valid national arrest warrant.
The police are now also on the lookout for Ong, who was reported to have flown to Japan earlier this year.
“The PNP has intensified its coordination with foreign counterparts to track the location of Cassandra Ong. We are committed to delivering justice to the victims of illegal POGO hubs,” Nartatez said.
“Those involved in these illegal operations must face the consequences of their actions,” he noted.