Philippines House committee releases POGO worker Cassandra Ong after four months in custody

The House quad committee in the Philippines has released Cassandra Ong, a POGO worker detained for nearly four months on contempt charges. The committee lifted the charges after Ong cited mental health issues from her time in custody. Ong is linked to a POGO network involved in human trafficking and money laundering but has consistently denied wrongdoing. The committee chair stated they have gathered enough information from her for their report. The committee also lifted contempt charges against Tony Yang, who remains detained on immigration issues. Hearings will continue in mid-January, with one more witness still being vetted.