Cassandra Ong possibly back in China —SILG Remulla

Cassandra Ong, who is facing qualified human trafficking charges, could have returned to China, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday.

“Ang theory namin ay nasa China siya, bumalik siya ng China. Wala siya sa Pilipinas,” Remulla told GTV’s Balitanghali in an interview.

(Our theory is that she’s in China, she returned to China. She is not in the Philippines.)

“Tinignan namin yung travel records niya. Wala siya dito. So ang theory namin bumalik siya sa Fujian, China kung saan siya nanggaling,” he added.

(We checked her travel records. She is not here. So our theory is that she returned to Fujian, China where she came from.)

Remulla dismissed the possibility that the Chinese government will cooperate with the Philippines to capture Ong, citing the lack of a repatriation deal, a previous case, and the West Philippine Sea issue.

“Wala silang repatriation agreement. Kung alam niyo ang kaso ng 1MDB ng Malaysia, si Jho Low, $10 billion ang ninakaw. Nagtatago sa China. Hindi rin makuha ng Malaysia,” he said.

(They don’t have a repatriation agreement. If you know the case of Malaysia’s 1MDB, Jho Low, $10 billion was stolen. He’s hiding in China. Malaysia can’t capture him either.)

“One-way street ang China. They only work to their advantage. So in this case, hindi ako hopeful na makikiisa sila sa atin. Lalo sa mga geopolitical tensions na meron tayo ngayon regarding West Philippine Sea, ang cooperation na hindi guaranteed,” he added.

(China is a one-way street. They only work to their advantage. So in this case, I’m not hopeful that they will cooperate with us. Especially with the geopolitical tensions that we have now regarding the West Philippine Sea, cooperation is not guaranteed.)

On Tuesday, Malacañang earlier said Ong is in the Philippines.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has offered a P1 million reward for information on the location of Ong.

Over 50 people have been charged for qualified human trafficking in connection with the alleged scam hub operated by Lucky South 99 of which Ong is a business associate of the company, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

Aside from Ong, former presidential spokesperson under the Duterte administration Atty. Harry Roque was also implicated, according to the PNP.

Angeles City Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 118 in May issued warrants of arrest against Ong and other suspects, the police organization said.

Recently, the Court of Appeals dismissed Ong’s petition challenging the resolution of the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicting her, according to the PNP.  —RF, GMA Integrated News