Document with Roque's signature found in Porac POGO hub 'has no criminal value': PAOCC

MANILA -- Documents bearing former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque's signatures found in a raid in Porac, Pampanga "has no criminal value" to ongoing investigations against illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), an official from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said on Saturday.

The document with Roque's signature was a letter from his executive assistant who was seeking "travel support to Poland," said PAOCC Spokesperson Winston John Casio.

Presidential Spokesperson Herminio "Harry" Roque Jr. shares his remarks to President Rodrigo  Duterte during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on October 11, 2021. Toto Lozano, Presidential Photo/File

"His former executive assistant was applying for a Shengen visa," he told reporters.

"On face value, it has no criminal value to our investigation," he said.

"I wouldn't want to impute malice on Atty. Roque because it would be unfair  for Atty. Roque at this point," he said.

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Roque earlier said that the documents were owned by his former long-time employee who is now studying in Clark, an area close to the POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.

The PAOCC is "investigating the officers, the incorporators of Lucky South 99" and "if Mr. Roque is lawyering for them, that constitutes suspicious activity."

The PAOCC is monitoring around 50 other POGO hubs in the country for suspicious or illegal activities, he said.

An inter-agency task force is expected to meet next week to decide on what charges would be filed against several local officials who may have been complicit in the illegal operations of these Chinese companies in different parts of the country, Casio said.

Casio declined to comment when asked if PAOCC would recommend the outright ban of POGO's in the Philippines.

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