The House Quad Committee on Thursday night ordered the 30-day detention of Katherine Cassandra Li Ong at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City after citing her for contempt for the second time, this time for "lying" during the ongoing investigation into illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
Currently detained at the House of Representatives, Ong will be transferred to the CIW after her initial 30-day contempt penalty for snubbing hearings ends on Sept. 26.
CIW is the country's sole penal facility exclusively for women offenders. It typically houses those whose convictions are final, much like its male counterpart, the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Ong, who has been linked to a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga that was raided by authorities for various illegal activities, was cited for contempt again after being accused of giving false testimony about her educational background.
Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, a co-chair of the Quad Committee, questioned Ong’s claim of completing the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in 2016 or 2017, noting inconsistencies in her responses about where she attended the program.
During the heated exchange, Paduano expressed frustration over Ong’s inability to provide specific details about her schooling.
“You're lying, Ms. Cassandra Ong. Remember, previously you were cited in contempt, and I will once again cite you in contempt for lying,” Paduano told Ong after she failed to recall basic information about her educational history.
Ong claimed that she had difficulty remembering the name of the public school where she allegedly enrolled for ALS, saying that she "forgot" the details.
However, Paduano was not convinced and noted how “incredible” Ong's explanation was.
“Kahit sinong tanungin mo dito, alam nila kung saan sila nag-elementary, saan sila nag-high school,” Paduano remarked.
Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop agreed with Paduano, adding, “Ako ang matanda na pero alam ko pa rin kung saan ako nag-graduate ng elementary school. Tapos ikaw, batang-bata ka pa, hindi mo alam kung saan ka nagtapos. Anak ng tinapay naman.”
Paduano also questioned the suspicious nature of Ong's inability to provide details. “Pwede ba ‘yan na hindi mo alam kung saang school ka na-enroll for the ALS? O, baka hindi ka nag-ALS. Baka sa ibang bansa ka nag-aral,” he said.
Following the exchange, Paduano moved to cite Ong in contempt for the second time. The motion was swiftly approved by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the overall chair of the Quad Committee, with no objections raised.
Additionally, Acop moved to transfer Ong to the CIW if the detention facility inside the House of Representatives was full.
“Since Ms. Cassandra Ong was already cited in contempt, may I move that she be detained sa Correctional Institution for Women,” Acop said. The motion was likewise approved without objections.
The House Quad Committee has intensified its investigation into illegal POGO operations and their connections to various illicit activities, including money laundering, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.
Ong’s testimony, or lack thereof, has been a central focus of the probe as House lawmakers continue to explore the extent of her involvement in Lucky South 99, whose POGO hub in Porac was raided by authorities last June.
Ong had previously been cited for contempt by the House after repeatedly failing to attend hearings in relation to POGO-related crimes.
Last Aug. 23, Ong was arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia, alongside Shiela Guo, the sister of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who is also allegedly involved in illegal POGO operations in her town.
Both were immediately deported to the Philippines. Ong was handed over to the National Bureau of Investigation and subsequently transferred to House custody.
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