Cheyenne Suarez

Palace rejects political persecution vs Harry Roque

Atty. Harry Roque along with Alpha Tolosa-Serranilla, sister of missing pharmaceutical executive Eduardo Tolosa, show the media a photo of primary suspect Carlo Cadampog as they appeal for him to appear before authorities regarding the case of the 50-year-old at the Department of Justice in Manila on September 7, 2022. Tolosa was last seen on July 19 whose charred SUV was later recovered in Pampanga. Roque said 4 witnesses claim that they took part in burying, exhuming, and later burning the body of Tolosa. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>Malacanang denied Tuesday that former presidential spokesman Harry Roque is a victim of political persecution after the latter faced arrest for evading a congressional inquiry on offshore gaming operators in the Philippines.</p><p>Roque said Monday he would  seek asylum in the Netherlands, where he has joined the legal team defending former President Rodrigo Duterte from crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court.</p><p>He told reporters the warrant of arrest issued by the House Quad Committee is “unjust prosecution&quot; against him.</p><p>&quot;Dito sa Europa, unheard of &#x27;yung may warrant of arrest na indefinite ang lifetime,&quot; he said. &quot;I am confident that I can prove political persecution through unjust prosecution.&quot;</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3K6T4mYFmY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Speaking to TeleRadyo Serbisyo, Palace Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro said Roque must prove that his allegations of political persecution are well founded before he is granted asylum.</p><p>She noted that evidence showing Roque’s links to POGOs “just fell into the hands of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission” during its investigation into POGO operations.</p><p>“Lahat ng ebidensya na nagpapakita diumano na siya ay involved sa POGO ay lumagpak lang sa kamay ng PAOCC. Nung sila ay nag imbestiga sa Lucky South 99, dun lang nakita ‘yung dokumento at lumabas ang pangalang Harry Roque,” she said. </p><p>Lucky South 99, located in Porac, Pampanga, was raided by Philippine law enforcers last year due to suspected criminal activities such as human trafficking and torture.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/6/biktima-umano-ng-torture-sa-porac-pogo-hub-nasagip-paocc-1825" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Biktima umano ng torture sa Porac POGO hub nasagip: PAOCC</a></div><p>PAOCC Spokesperson Winston John Casio later revealed authorities found several documents bearing Roque’s signature during the raid.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/15/document-with-roque-s-signature-found-in-porac-pogo-hub-has-no-criminal-value-1318" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Document with Roque&#x27;s signature found in Porac POGO hub &#x27;has no criminal value&#x27;: PAOCC</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/13/pogo-paradise-how-the-philippines-became-a-hub-for-illegal-pogos-1524" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">POGO Paradise: How the Philippines became a hub for illegal POGOs</a></div><p>Roque was implicated in the POGO controversy for accompanying and helping Cassandra Li Ong, an official of Whirlwind and Lucky South 99 gaming firm, to pay off arrears totaling USD500,000.</p><p>He has admitted, on record, to being a lawyer for Whirlwind, the company that is leasing its Porac compound to Lucky South 99.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mfcM1t9zGmI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>He has also admitted that he owns part of a corporation that owns a house in Tuba, Benguet where 2 foreign nationals were arrested over alleged visa violations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/29/roque-admits-interest-in-raided-benguet-property-housing-nabbed-foreigners-1153" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Roque admits &#x27;interest&#x27; in corporation that owns raided Benguet house</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/3/roque-welcomes-paocc-s-probe-on-benguet-property-1600" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Roque welcomes PAOCC&#x27;s probe on Benguet property</a></div><p>Roque has also evaded the QuadComm hearings and failed to submit subpoenaed documents include his Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth and records connected to his family firm, Biancham Holdings, as well as a land transaction in Parañaque City.</p><p>“Nung nagkaroon ng hearing sa QuadComm, siya mismo ang nagsabi na siya - ang mga dokumento niya kumpleto ito - may BIR, ‘yung auntie niya pinamanahan siya dapat may extrajudicial settlement of estate, BIR of course to prove na bayad ang estate tax, ‘yung SALN niya, lahat ito supposed to be hindi na dapat private,” Castro said.</p><p>The Palace official said the Department of Justice has not discussed whether or not to contest Roque’s petition for asylum or even to revoke his passport.</p><p>“Sa ngayon po, walang napapag-usapan tungkol kay Harry Roque,” she said. </p><p>She said the Prosecutor&#x27;s Office has yet to recommend the filing of human trafficking charges against Roque. </p>

<p>Malacanang denied Tuesday that former presidential spokesman Harry Roque is a victim of political persecution after the latter faced arrest for evading a congressional inquiry on offshore gaming operators in the Philippines.</p>

Malacanang denied Tuesday that former presidential spokesman Harry Roque is a victim of political persecution after the latter faced arrest for evading a congressional inquiry on offshore gaming operators in the Philippines.

Palace denies political persecution vs Harry Roque

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Palace denies political persecution vs Harry Roque

David Dizon,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 18, 2025 11:18 AM PHT

|

Updated Mar 18, 2025 01:27 PM PHT

Read More:

harry roque

asylum

netherlands

rodrigo duterte

POGOs

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