Mabalacat City: The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has successfully apprehended one of the 50 co-accused individuals linked to former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Cassandra Ong in a case involving illegal offshore gaming operators in Pampanga.
According to Philippines News Agency, CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III announced that law enforcement officers arrested a person identified as 'Marlon' during a raid conducted in Barangay Tabun, Mabalacat City on May 22. The arrest was executed under a warrant issued by an Angeles City court. Marlon is alleged to have functioned as the operations officer for a security agency connected to Lucky South 99 Outsourcing, Inc., a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga, where trafficking activities reportedly occurred.
Roque, who is currently in The Hague, Netherlands, served as the legal counsel for Lucky South 99. Torre emphasized the significance of this arrest as part of a week-long operation targeting individuals with outstanding arrest warrants. "This underscores our unrelenting effort in pursuing and putting behind bars wanted persons and fugitives with the end goal of helping the victims attain the justice they deserved," Torre stated.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil had earlier instructed the CIDG to set up tracker teams to locate Ong, who is believed to be the scam hub's incorporator, along with 49 other individuals. The PNP also expressed intentions to collaborate with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to track down Roque.
Roque faces arrest orders issued by the Angeles City, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 118 for qualified trafficking charges related to the operations of Lucky South 99. PNP information chief Col. Randulf Tua±o mentioned that there is consideration of the possibility of political asylum being granted, which could last for a minimum of six months. This legal aspect was discussed during a meeting between CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III and his legal officers.
Roque departed the Philippines in September last year after being cited for contempt by the House of Representatives for not attending congressional inquiries on POGOs, which are now referred to as Internet Gaming Licensees.
