The House Quad Committee lifted the contempt orders against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, Lucky South 99 authorized representative Cassandra Ong, and Chinese businessman Tony Yang, during the panel’s hearing on Thursday concerning the issues on POGOs.
Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano motioned to lift the contempt order against the three during their hearing on Thursday.
Guo and Ong had previously attended the mega panel’s inquiry on POGOs. Guo was first questioned during the Senate hearing by the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality on her real identity and citizenship. According to the panel, the former is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail and is facing multiple cases due to the business’ ties to human trafficking.
Meanwhile, Ong is also currently detained at the Women’s Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City. Last September, she was cited in contempt a second time, after refusing to answer questions on her schooling.
According to the panel, Ong has a medical condition and is facing non-bailable human trafficking charges. This was connected to the raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has custody over Yang, who is currently confined at the St. Luke’s Medical Hospital in Taguig. He currently has a pending case for falsifying documents, perjury and violating the Anti-Alias Law.
The panel also lifted the contempt order against Police Major Leo Laraga.
Despite the backlash against the mega panel, Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop said that they will be continuing their investigation next year.
“Mahirap po ang trabaho natin dito sa Quad Comm. Walang gustong pumalag sa sistema. Walang gustong bumangga sa isang popular na dating presidente. Pero kami po, tulad niya ay halal ng taumbayan,” he said.
Along with the continuation of their inquiry, the panel also vowed to propose amendments to the law so that such cases would not be repeated.
“Sa darating na taon at sa mga susunod na Quad Comm hearings, tatalakayin po natin ng mas malalim ang usapin ukol sa droga; dahil sang-ayon naman po tayo, salot po ito sa lipunan. We will leave no stone unturned,” Acop said.
Investigation into the issues on POGOs began after authorities discovered that the raided hubs were perpetrating illegal activities like human trafficking.
