A Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Monday granted a motion to cancel the passports of Cassandra Li Ong, former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque, and three others in connection to the human trafficking charges filed against them.

Prosecutor General Anthony Fadullon confirmed that Pasig RTC Branch 157 has ordered the cancellation of the passports of Herminio Harry Lopez Roque Jr., Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, Dennis Lacson Cunanan, Ronelyn Bahan Baterna, and Mercides Peralta Macabasa due to their involvement in illicit Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO).

Under the Republic Act (RA) No. 11983 or the New Philippine Passport Act, the court considers the respondents fugitives from justice, providing legal grounds for the cancellation.

In a resolution released to the media, the court held that Roque had effectively fled in “plac(ing) himself beyond the court’s jurisdiction” even after criminal charges were filed against him.

“He has not given any acceptable reason why he remains outside of the Philippines thereby manifesting an intent to evade the long arm of the law. He became a fugitive from justice as soon as his intention to flee became manifest after the Information was filed against him in court,” the RTC declared.

The same finding also applies to Ong, Cunanan, Baterna, and Macabasa, whose whereabouts remain unknown despite arrest warrants issued on May 8.

With their passports cancelled, the accused are no longer permitted to leave the country. If any are already overseas—such as Roque, who is in the Netherlands—their movements will be greatly limited, as they are restricted to the country where they currently reside.

Moreover, if any of them are in another ASEAN member state, the Department of Justice (DOJ), through the Bureau of Immigration (BI), may immediately notify the host country of the cancellation, which may lead to the deportation of the accused.