One of Roque’s coaccused in trafficking case nabbed in Pampanga
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A coaccused of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Cassandra Ong in a qualified human trafficking case related to the illegal operations of the Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga, has languished in jail in Camp Olivas since May 22.
Marlon Dalope Funcion, Lucky South’s chief of security, was not allowed to post bail based on the arrest warrant dated May 8 issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 118 Judge Rene Estrada Reyes, according to a report of the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Central Luzon.
In the report by CIDG regional chief Police Col. Richard Bad-ang, a tracker team nabbed Funcion, a resident of Antipolo City, at noon on May 22 in Barangay Tabun in the boundary of Mabalacat City in Pampanga and Bamban town in Tarlac.
Funcion, 62, did not resist the arrest when the warrant was served, a CIDG video showed.
He is one of 52 persons wanted in Criminal Case No. R—Ang-25-01263-CR for qualified trafficking in persons.
Authorities raided and closed the Lucky South 99, which occupied 10 hectares of buildings inside the Porac side of the Grand Palazzo Royale, in June 2024 for allegations of torture, human trafficking and money scams.
Roque, who is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands, was listed as the legal officer of the firm in the application of the Pogo hub for the renewal of its operating license.
Ong acted as an official of Whirlwind Corp. which leased the lands to Lucky South.
Later, she applied and obtained a business permit from then Mayor Jing Capil to operate a business processing office, not a Pogo hub.
