Ben Madilynn
THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) was urged on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to conduct an in-depth probe into the supposed irregularities in the birth certificate of Katherine Cassandra Ong, the authorized representative of the raided illegal Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga.
During the continuation of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality inquiry into the raided illegal Pogo hub in Bamban, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said the entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of Ong are “quite questionable.”
Based on Ong’s birth certificate, she was born on May 23, 2000 in their house in San Juan City through a “hilot.”
She and her mother were later brought to the Chinese General Hospital in Manila.
Estrada was the mayor of San Juan City during the time of Ong’s birth.
“Wala na raw ngayong house number maski noon pa…Wala rin nakakakilala sa sinasabing manghihilot na nagngangalang Rosario Mendez. (It is said that there is no house number even before… No one knows the alleged birth attendant named Rosario Mendez). I’d like to point out that the place of birth indicated in the certificate of live birth is 345 P. Mendoza St, wala pong ganiyang address or house number sa San Juan (there’s no such address or house number in San Juan),” he said.
“This is another case of a questionable birth certificate issued through late registration. There is no basis for the issuance of Cassie Ong’s birth certificate. This should be investigated and immediately be canceled if there are findings,” he added.
Ong’s birth was only registered a year later, on May 16, 2001.
Estrada also noted that the PSA has no record of the marriage of Ong’s parents, Li Ying Xia and Richard Ong Chao Hong, who was reportedly a naturalized Filipino.
The PSA representative during the hearing said they have already launched a fact-finding panel to investigate the birth certificate of Ong and other individuals.
Ong attended the resumption of the hearing to shed light on the “escape” of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo amid the ongoing probe along with her siblings Shiela and Wesley, Ong’s boyfriend.
She maintained that she is not aware that the Guos will escape.
Ong said Wesley only informed her that they are traveling to Malaysia.
Ong and Shiela were apprehended by immigration authorities in Indonesia on the bases of the arrest order issued by the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively.
The House of Representatives issued the arrest order against Ong in relation to her alleged links to illegal Pogo hub Lucky South 99, which was raided in Porac, Pampanga.
Alice was arrested a week later.
Ong said she is not aware where Wesley currently is.
Meanwhile, Ong confirmed that she is currently residing in Porac, Pampanga along with her godfather, Duanren Wu, who is a wanted fugitive in China.
She said, however, that she is aware of his criminal activities but they have several business partnerships.
Wu is an incorporator of the Whirlwind Corp., which leases the land where the Lucky South 99 compound is located.
The Senate panel earlier issued a subpoena against Wu in relation to its Pogo investigation.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission said Wu is currently in Indonesia. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
