Cassandra Ong cries at Senate hearing

Cassandra Ong, who has mostly kept calm across numerous public hearings where her alleged part in illegal POGOs has been scrutinized, broke down in tears on Tuesday (September 24) at the mention of her late mother. Ong was answering Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian's questions about her ties with her godfather and fellow Whirlwind executive Duanren Wu, when she mentioned her mother's passing in 2017. Turning emotional, Ong recalled how Wu, who had been a "best friend" of her mother, became a parental figure to her. Save for the revelation about her personal life, Ong was tight-lipped on her alleged involvement in the POGO hub Lucky South 99, repeatedly invoking her right against self-incrimination. (Thumbnail photo: Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News)