'Sumagot kayo nang maayos!' Cassandra Ong reprimanded by Hontiveros at Senate hearing

Appearing to make light of a question during a Senate inquiry on Tuesday (September 17), Cassandra Ong was reprimanded by panel chairperson Sen. Risa Hontiveros for supposedly not taking the probe seriously. Ong was being asked about the circumstances of her birth by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, who later pointed out that her birth certificate also has questionable documentation, similar to that of dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo's. Ong appeared to chuckle when Estrada expressed disbelief over a detail in her story, that as a newborn she was brought to Chinese General Hospital in Manila after being birthed by a midwife at her mother's home in San Juan. This earned the ire of Hontiveros, who told Ong: "First time niyo sumagot sa amin. Sumagot kayo nang maayos po. Seryoso po itong mga tanong, hindi katatawanan." Estrada went on to ask the Philippine Statistics Authority to investigate Ong's birth certificate, after it was found that her purported parents — Li Xia Ying and a certain Richard — have no registered marriage certificate. "This is another case of a questionable birth certificate issued through late registration," Estrada said. "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."