By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested in Pampanga one of the 50 co-accused of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Cassandra Ong in connection with the probe into illegal offshore gaming operators.
In a statement on Monday, CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said law enforcers arrested a certain “Marlon” at a raid in Barangay Tabun, Mabalacat City on May 22, using an arrest warrant issued by an Angeles City court.
Torre said Marlon allegedly served as the operations officer of the security agency linked to Lucky South 99 Outsourcing, Inc., a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga where trafficking activities reportedly took place.
Roque, currently staying at The Hague, the Netherlands, was a legal counsel of Lucky South 99.
Toree said the arrest happened one week of operations against those with 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 said.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil earlier ordered the CIDG to form tracker teams to locate Ong, the scam hub’s alleged incorporator, and 49 others.
The PNP said it plans to coordinate with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to find Roque.
Roque was among those ordered arrested by the Angeles City, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 118 for qualified trafficking charges stemming from the operations of Lucky South 99.
“That is being considered, including the information that the political asylum can be granted for a minimum of six months. This is among the legal aspects considered during the meeting of CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III and his legal officers,” PNP information chief Col. Randulf Tuaño said in a statement.
Roque left the Philippines in September last year after the House of Representatives cited him for contempt for refusing to attend congressional inquiries on POGOs, now called Internet Gaming Licensees. (PNA)
