Harry Roque tied to Benguet house with arrested POGO suspects

Foreign nationals' arrest

The Bureau of Immigration (BI), in coordination with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), raided the house in Benguet based on a tip that one of the occupants was a Chinese woman who's a person of interest in the POGO investigation in Bamban, Tarlac.

In the Senate hearing, BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the arrested foreign nationals were a female Chinese national, Wang Keping, and a male Cambodian national, Khuon Moeurn, based on his passport.

The two individuals aren't the targets, and the supposed male Cambodian is actually a Chinese national carrying a fake passport.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the committee conducting the Senate hearing, said the fake passport holder, based on a Chinese informant, is a "red notice fugitive, very high-level, and has already defrauded 100,000 people."

Manahan noted they have no personal knowledge as to who owns the raided house.

He also acknowledged that they don't have a search or arrest warrant during the raid, which Roque pointed out as a violation of constitutional rights.

'Concerted effort,' 'naninira sa akin'

Roque said there's a "concerted effort" to destroy his image following the raid.

"Noong sinabi nila na sinalakay ang bahay ko at may mga wanted na mga POGO bosses doon," he said, "ako po’y talagang nag-conclude na meron talagang pilit na naninira sa akin."

Roque also asked if authorities indeed found the people they're looking for and have ties in Bamban.

He noted that the male foreigner caught was Yun's partner.

"Nais ko po talagang malaman kung ano 'yung ebidensya na 'yung lalaking 'yun ay involved sa Bamban," Roque said. "Dahil kung hindi naman po, talagang meron pong concerted effort na i-link ako dito sa mga POGO na akin namang tinatanggi."

Roque also mentioned the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), which previously issued a statement that he allegedly helped secure the license of a POGO, as well as PAGCOR Chairman Al Tengco, who testified during the July 10 Senate hearing.

Tengco said Roque assisted Lucky South 99 in Pampanga in reapplying for a new license. The POGO hub is accused of perpetrating crimes such as torture, scams, and human trafficking.

According to Tengco, Roque came to his office sometime in July 2023 to liaise for Lucky South 99, which was facing financial issues at the time. Roque was with Lucky South 99's representative Katherine Cassandra Ong.

While Roque previously denied his connection to Lucky South 99, Tengco said he was named the head of Lucky South 99's legal department on the firm's organizational chart submitted for their license reapplication.

In a statement made on his Facebook page hours after the Senate hearing, Roque stressed that Tengco made no mention that he had lobbied for an illegal POGO hub.

"Ang sinabi po niya, ako po ay nakipagpulong sa kanya noong July para po humingi ng rescheduling of payment doon sa mga dapat bayaran ng Lucky South 99 sa PAGCOR," he said.

As for his name on the organizational chart, Roque said he doesn't know why as he has nothing to do with the submission of Lucky South 99 documents. "[D]ahil sa simula po ay hindi ako ang abogado ng Lucky South pagdating sa kanya mga lisensya, at never ako naging abogado ng Lucky South."

The PAOCC found documents bearing Roque's signature in their raid.

The commission has since cleared his name, saying the documents found in the Lucky South 99 compound were "innocent" and "not of suspicious or criminal nature."

Roque threatened with contempt citation after heated exchange with Hontiveros

Roque had a heated exchange with Hontiveros during the Senate hearing, prompting Sen. Win Gatchalian to warn Roque of being cited in contempt.

He repeatedly cut Hontiveros short when she was asking him questions, including his alleged link to Lucky South 99.

According to him, Hontiveros was "insinuating" that he is a lawyer for Lucky South 99, which he repeatedly denied.

Hontiveros, meanwhile, said she isn't insinuating anything. "The chair and the members of the committee have been asking questions based on the testimonies, sworn testimonies of PAGCOR Chair Tengco, Atty. Fernandez of PAGCOR, and other resource persons," she noted.

Roque explained that he only accompanied Ong to the meeting with PAGCOR in July 2023 because he's a lawyer for Whirlwind Corporation, the company that leased its property to Lucky South 99. Ong is the corporate secretary of Whirlwind.

But Hontiveros said the PAGCOR meeting concerned Lucky South 99, not Whirlwind.

Roque acknowledged Hontiveros' statement, but said Whirlwind is also Lucky South 99's service provider.

He then questioned the organization chart anew. "Wala po tayong ebidensya na nagpapakita kung sino nagsubmit talaga ng dokumento," he said. "Pero PAGCOR can confirm kung sino talaga nagsubmit ng mga dokumentong 'yan."

Hontiveros then told Roque that it's part of his "due diligence as a lawyer" to check the documents himself.

That was when Roque confronted Hontiveros anew, saying she's "insinuating" that he had anything to do with the document.

Hontiveros then told Roque to stop using "insinuating," calling it an "offensive verb." Roque apologized and went back to his statement regarding the organizational chart.

"Ang sinasabi ko po under oath and as an officer of the court, hindi ko po in-authorize ang paglagay ng pangalan ko doon," he said. "Wala pong kinalaman sa paggawa ng dokumento na 'yan at wala pong kahit anong testimonya na nagsasabi na pumayag po ako, and I deny that under oath."

He then told senators that in proving facts, the rules of the court should apply in Senate hearings.

Hontiveros then reminded Roque not to "lecture" them.

Roque explained that he was just citing the principle as a lawyer and a professor of constitutional lawyer, to which Hontiveros said it's "not necessary."

"I'm sorry, madam, but I'm a resource person invited. I was asked to answer," Roque told Hontiveros. "Hindi ko po maintindihan, 'pag gusto niyo akong tumigil, papatigil niyo ako pag ako nag-e-explain. I thought we are engaged in the search for the truth."

Gatchalian reminded Roque to "respect the chairperson" and threatened to cite him in contempt if it happens again.

“Atty. Roque, please be reminded to respect the chairperson,” Gatchalian told Roque, to which the latter said, "I’m very respectful."

Gatchalian asked him, "Paanong respectful, eh nagsasalita siya, sinasabayan mo siya?"

"One more and I will cite you in contempt. If you disrespect the chairperson, we’ll be compelled to cite you in contempt," the senator said.

"I understand and I apologize," Roque answered.