Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, an incorporator of Whirlwind Corporation, was presented before the House of Representatives鈥� quad-committee to hear her side regarding issues surrounding the Philippine offshore gaming operator hub in Porac, Pampanga. (Photo from the House of Representatives media bureau)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Whirlwind Corporation stakeholder Katherine Cassandra Li Ong has admitted that the top boss at the firm, a certain Duanren Wu who happens to be her godfather, is a former Chinese cop.
Ong revealed this during the House quad-committee on Wednesday.
鈥淲hat is his business in China, do you know?鈥� House committee on dangerous drugs chairperson Robert Ace Barbers asked.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have an idea,鈥� Ong replied. 鈥淲hat I know is that he worked for a government agency [in China] before, and then he resigned.鈥�
鈥淭hen he ventured into business? So he was a former employee of the Chinese government, right?鈥� Barbers asked.
鈥淵es. He was a simple police officer, but again, he resigned,鈥� Ong said.
Barbers then bared that this is the same information that they got about Wu.
鈥淵ou (Ong) are correct because it鈥檚 the same information that we got, he was a former police officer. In fact, he has several records. Do you know that he has several records when he was a police officer?鈥� Barbers asked.
鈥淲hat record?鈥� Ong said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about him having so many negative records in China. I will tell you about this at the appropriate time,鈥� Barbers replied.
Whirlwind Corporation leased land in Porac, Pampanga to Lucky South 99, which then operated a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub in the area.
Ong has a 58 percent stake in Whirlwind Corporation. Lawmakers believe Ong鈥檚 testimony is crucial because it will establish that Whirlwind and Lucky South 99 are the same company.
The Porac Pogo hub was raided last June 4 due to human trafficking concerns. At least 186 foreign and Filipino workers were rescued from the facility.
READ: Pampanga聽Pogo聽linked to scams, trafficking; 186 rescued in聽raid聽
Authorities also found Chinese military uniforms in the Pogo hub, but the uniforms were mere souvenirs or props used by foreign workers, according to Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Maj. Gen. Leo Francsico.
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The second half of the quad-committee hearing focused on the illegal activities related to Pogos.
Ong has been detained at the House premises since Aug. 26 having been cited for contempt by four panels.
Ong was cited for contempt again during the quad-committee鈥檚 hearing last Aug. 28, after she refused to answer questions raised by lawmakers. But after Ong cooperated, the contempt order, which would have sent her to the Correctional Institute for Women was lifted, provided that she signed a bank secrecy waiver.
However, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said Ong had backed out from a previous commitment to sign a bank secrecy waiver and would also no longer avail of an executive session to spill information on Pogos.
READ: Contempt order vs聽Ong聽lifted after answering solons鈥� queries聽