Topacio on NBI taking custody of Cassandra Ong: This is wrong

Atty. Ferdinand Topacio at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, May 31, 2023 | INQUIRER.net file photo / RYAN LEAGOGO

MANILA, Philippines — “This is wrong on so many levels.”

This was the reaction of Atty. Ferdinand Topacio to the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) plan to take his client, Cassandra Ong, in custody. Ong is the business partner of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.

Ong and the embattled mayor’s sister, Shiela, arrived in the Philippines from Indonesia around 5 p.m. on Thursday.

READ: Sheila Guo, Cassandra Ong brought to Bureau of Immigration from NAIA

They were held in custody at the Batam Special Class I Immigration Office on Wednesday, August 21, and handed to Philippine authorities earlier on Thursday.

The two personalities proceeded to the Bureau of Immigration (BI), where they received medical examinations.

“This is wrong on so many levels. Bakit kukunin nila, walang reason for the NBI to detain her,” Topacio said in an ambush interview, referring to his client.

(This is wrong on so many levels. Why would they take her? There’s no reason for the NBI to detain her.)

READ: Topacio is legal counsel of Alice Guo’s cohort Cassandra Ong

He was citing to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s statement, made just hours before Guo and Ong’s arrival, that Ong and Guo would be taken into custody by the NBI for questioning and debriefing.

Topacio maintained that it was improper for the NBI to detain Ong, as she has no pending cases.

“Walang kaso, bakit mo ide-detain,” he asked.

(There is no case; why would you detain?)

“It’s immaterial whether she’s innocent or not. The issue here, let’s clarify, is this: Walang kaso si Cassy Li Ong, hindi siya dapat idetain,” he also said when asked if he believes that his client is innocent.

(It’s immaterial whether she’s innocent or not. The issue here, let’s clarify, is this: Cassy Li Ong has no case against her; she should not be detained.)

READ: Sheila Guo, Cassandra Ong will be under NBI custody first – DOJ

“Idedetain siya ng NBI dahil ‘yun instructions ni Secretary or someone higher. Ganun lang ‘yun, alam naman natin ‘yun eh,” he added.

(She will be detained by the NBI because those are the instructions from the secretary or someone higher up. That’s just how it is; we all know that.)

Ong and Guo left the BI to head to the NBI office in Quezon City around 10 p.m.

Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano, Department of Justice spokesperson, earlier said in a phone interview that Ong is facing charges for obstruction of justice and violation of the Passport Act.

Guo, on the other hand, allegedly violated immigration laws.