Manila, Philippines – The Pasig City Regional Trial Court ordered the cancellation of the Philippine passports of Cassandra Ong of former Presidential Adviser Harry Roque in relation to the qualified human trafficking charges linked with the illegal POGO operations.
The International Police (INTERPOL) also issued a red notice against Ong, while the Philippine government has requested the same notice versus Roque.
Aside from them, the court also cancelled the passports of other accused in the case namely Ronelyn Baterna, Dennis Cunanan, and Mercides Macabasa.
Under the Republic Act No. 11983 or the New Philippine Passport Act, a cancelled passport will bar the accused from leaving the country and will restrict his/her constitutional right to travel.
In Roque’s case, who has been outside the country for over a year, this order will limit his travel and that he cannot go outside the country that he is currently in. He may also be subjected to deportation proceedings.
Department of Justice spokesperson Raphael Niccolo Martinez, citing the Court order, said that Roque and the other co-accused may now be referred as fugitives from justice.
Roque, who has denied ties with the case, refuted the Court’s basis on the cancellation of his passport.
Roque argued that his asylum application in The Netherlands is a justifiable reason for him being away from the Philippines.
In fact, he noted that he had filed the asylum request even before a case or complaint was filed against him.
While Roque said that he respects the Court’s decision, he insisted that this is not yet final and that he still has 15 days to file for a motion for reconsideration.
He added that despite the passport cancellation, he have had no plans to leave The Netherlands as long as former President Rodrigo Duterte is detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Meanwhile, the DOJ explained that cancellation of the passport of Roque is irrelevant to his asylum bid.
The agency noted that in his request, Roque must establish that he is being persecuted in the Philippines, which in their defense, they denied, saying that Roque is the one who actually evades the legal prosecution.
On the other hand, there is still no established information on Ong’s whereabouts, with the DOJ offering P1 million reward for any information on Ong’s location.—Mia Layaguin, Eurotv News