FREED. Merlie Joy Castro hugs her loved ones after her release from detention on July 14, 2026.
While Merlie Joy Castro was acquitted of qualified trafficking in 2025, she remained detained for a money laundering case but could not afford bail until the court reduced it
MANILA, Philippines – A mother whose identity was allegedly stolen and used to build a company linked to a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) obtained temporary freedom after nearly two years in detention after a Pasig court ordered the reduction of her bail.
Merlie Joy Castro was released on Tuesday, July 14, after posting a reduced bail of P180,000.
Castro, who spent 21 months in jail, was among the accused in the qualified human trafficking charge that stemmed from POGOs related to Alice Guo’s POGO in Bamban, Tarlac. She surrendered to authorities on October 8, 2024, after her indictment.
