Cassandra Ong insists she didn’t graduate despite grad photos

Katherine Cassandra Li Ong attends the a public hearing conducted by the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on the alleged illegal activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hubs in Pampanga and Tarlac.
INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Whirlwind Corporation stakeholder Cassandra Ong has maintained that she did not graduate even in elementary school, despite being shown by lawmakers photos of her wearing graduation attire and her being in a graduation party.

At the sixth hearing of the House of Representatives’ quad-committee hearing held on Thursday, lead presiding officer and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers asked Ong again about her educational background.

In response, Ong said she studied with a Manila Patriotic School in Binondo, but she failed to finish her elementary education.  Barbers then asked if Ong studied in China or any other high school, which the latter denied.

However, Barbers then showed Ong a photo of her wearing a blue toga and a blue graduation head cap — which Ong said was her merely wearing a toga of the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (ALS).

“Ah you didn’t study in China?  So you were only here in the Philippines, only elementary.  Up to Grade 6?” Barbers asked.

“I think I wasn’t able to finish it,” Ong replied.

“Ah, is it Grade 5?  But I have here a photo of you wearing a toga for graduation.  Ah, this one.  It seems to be for high school graduation or college eh.  What is this school?” Barbers fired back.

“That’s a public school, ALS.  But I wasn’t able to finish that, I only went there several times,” Ong added.

But Barbers noted that ALS is a part of the high school education system of the country.

“But this ALS, that is a high school system right?  Isn’t ALS for high school students?  Alternative Learning System, right?  So, you have, you were registered with DepEd, you availed the ALS,” he said.

“I’m not sure, Mr. Chair,” Ong replied.

“How were you able to enroll with the ALS if not, because if you enroll, of course, you would register your name there right?” Barbers asked.

Ong maintained that she only had her photo taken — to which Barbers teased her if it was meant to be a profile picture for social media accounts.

But eventually, Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores showed more photos of Ong — including one which showed her celebrating with other students wearing togas too.

“Actually, somebody also sent me several photos, similar also, right?  Was it a graduation or you just posted something to show that you graduated too?  You joined photos only?  But it was a graduation party?” Flores asked.

“Again po, Mr. Chair, I only joined when they were taking photos.  That is the graduation of ALS,” Ong said.

Ong also said that she does not know many of the people in the photos, saying that she was not too close with them having attended two or three ALS sessions only.

However, Flores showed another photo where Ong and another girl seemed close.  Ong said she may know the person only if the face of the other person was not covered.

“Okay. How about another picture po? That’s the two of you. There’s another picture there. It’s the same occasion?” Flores asked.

“Yes po, Mr. Chair,” Ong said.

“The one you are with, did she also take a picture only with ALS graduates or something else?” Flores asked again.

“Maybe they are graduating,” Ong replied.

Ong’s educational attainment has been a topic that she refused to discuss in the past hearings.  During the quad-committee’s hearing last August 29, Ong was cited for contempt for not cooperating with lawmakers as she refused to answer questions directly.

READ: House quad-panel cites Cassandra Ong for contempt anew 

The motion to cite Ong for contempt, however, was lifted before the hearing ended as she answered lawmakers’ questions.

READ: Contempt order vs Ong lifted after answering solons’ queries 

But on Thursday, Ong was cited for contempt again, upon a motion from Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano.

READ: Cassandra Ong: Top boss at Whirlwind an ex-Chinese cop 

Lawmakers from the quad-committee believe that Ong, who holds a 58 percent stake at Whirlwind Corporation — the company that leased land in Porac, Pampanga to Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub Lucky South 99 —  is crucial to their investigation.

During the September 4 hearing, Ong admitted that Whirlwind’s top boss, a certain Duanren Wu who happens to be her godfather, is a former Chinese cop.