Court issues arrest warrants vs. Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong for alleged trafficking

Warrants of arrest have been issued against lawyer and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong and 48 others for qualified human trafficking in relation with the alleged scam hub run by Lucky South 99.

The warrants were ordered by the Angeles, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 118 on Thursday.

According to the warrant, they were handling 11 separate Informations for Violation of the Republic Act 9208 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

Lucky South 99 was a POGO facility in Porac, Pampanga that was raided and exposed in 2024, garnering nationwide attention and triggering a more intense crackdown against POGO operations in the Philippines.

According to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), they were able to find evidence of torture, kidnapping, and sex trafficking at the site.

Authorities were able to rescue at least 158 foreign employees as well.

Lucky South 99 has denied the allegations.

Roque and Ong were both implicated in following trials after the raid, with Roque accused of aiding in securing operating license for the hub and Ong being named as the authorized representative of Lucky South99.

Roque was also said to be the legal head of Lucky South 99’s legal department based on the hub’s license reapplication, which was denied by the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

The former spokesperson has also denied the accusation and said he is not and never been a legal counsel of any illegal POGO and was neither a counsel of Lucky South 99. He also said that he only accompanied Ong in a meeting previously as he thought she was a victim of estafa.

He is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands.

Cases were filed against the same suspects in April 2025. — BM, GMA Integrated News