Complaint filed vs. DOJ, NBI chiefs over Sheila Guo, Cassie Ong arrests

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio on Monday filed a complaint against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and outgoing National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago with the Office of the Ombudsman over the arrest and detention of Sheila Guo and Cassandra Li Ong in August 2024.

In a 20-page complaint, Topacio said Remulla, Santiago, and John and Jane Does committed arbitrary detention and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over the “illegal arrest and unlawful detention” of Guo and Ong.

He argued that the arrests were made without the benefit of a warrant.

“The agents of the NBI were not armed with warrants of arrests, as required by law, and when there are no circumstances to justify a warrantless [arrest], such as when a crime is committed in flagrante delicto, or when an accused in is hot pursuit,” Topacio said.

Guo and Ong were about to depart Batam, Indonesia when they were intercepted by authorities during the height of the investigation into Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. 

They were shortly brought to the Philippines.

Topacio said that the two were only arrested by virtue of the contempt orders issued by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“Ms. Ong was detained for four days at the said NBI office, and it was only after four days of detention with the NBI that Ms. Guo and Ms. Ong were transferred to the detention facilities of the HoR and Senate,” he said.

“I was informed that, despite the clear legal and procedural infirmities in both the arrests and detention of Ms. Guo and Ms. Ong, respondent Santiago only pushed through with the same because he was ordered to do so by respondent Remulla,” he added.

When asked why he only filed a case now, Topacio said this is "a non-issue." 

"The case has not yet prescribed and the incident may be subject of a legitimate complaint," he said.

Ong, the authorized representative of the raided POGO hub in Porac, has been charged with disobedience to summons issued by the House of Representatives as well as obstruction of justice for harboring, concealing, or facilitating the escape of a criminal offender.

She and others were also charged with qualified human trafficking in April.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the respondents and will publish their response once available. — BM, GMA Integrated News