Authorities have arrested one of the co-accused in a human trafficking case linked to former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Cassandra Ong, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) confirmed.
The suspect, identified only as “Marlon,” was caught during an entrapment operation in Barangay Tabun, Mabalacat City, Pampanga on May 22. He allegedly served as the operations officer of a security agency connected to Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc., a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, where trafficking activities reportedly occurred.
According to the CIDG, Marlon is also wanted under a separate arrest warrant issued by Branch 118 of the Angeles City Regional Trial Court for 10 counts of qualified trafficking in persons. No bail was recommended.
“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. This is the 1st of the 51,” said CIDG chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III.
He also called on the remaining 50 co-accused to surrender, warning that CIDG’s tracker teams are “pursuing you 24/7 and will catch you anytime soon.”
Roque and Ong are among those facing warrants of arrest over their alleged connection to the trafficking operations in Lucky South 99. However, Roque has strongly denied any involvement, insisting he was never a legal representative of the POGO firm. He said he only once joined Ong in a meeting, believing she had been defrauded.
Roque is currently in the Netherlands where he is seeking asylum.
