A Pasig City court has approved the cancellation of the Philippine passports for former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Cassandra Li Ong, and three others implicated in a qualified human trafficking case linked to the raided Lucky South 99 Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.
In an omnibus resolution issued on November 19 and made public on Monday, Branch 157 of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) granted the prosecution’s motion to cancel the travel documents for Roque, Ong, former government official Dennis Cunanan, Ronelyn Baterna, and Mercides Macabasa.
Presiding Judge Ana Teresa Cornejo-Tomacruz deemed Roque, who is currently in the Netherlands seeking asylum, a “fugitive” for remaining outside the country after the charge was filed. The court stated that he “knowingly chose to remain [in] another country despite the charge filed against him,” thereby manifesting an intent to evade jurisdiction. Roque was previously listed as the legal officer for the POGO hub.
In addition to the passport cancellation, the court also issued a Hold Departure Order (HDO) against Ong, Cunanan, Baterna, Macabasa, and 23 other individuals involved in the case, which stems from alleged torture, human trafficking, and online scamming at the facility, which was shuttered in 2024. Authorities currently have not determined the whereabouts of Cassandra Li Ong, an incorporator of the firm that leased land to the POGO.
Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Raphael Niccolo Martinez stated that the cancellation of the passports limits the movements of the five respondents and could subject them to deportation proceedings by any host state.
Roque, in a public statement following the decision, maintained his innocence and insisted his case was distinct from other related POGO cases. He announced his intention to file a motion for reconsideration, arguing that the right to seek asylum is a recognized human right.
