By JOSEPH ANTHONY A. DAMGO
FOLLOWING in her husband’s footsteps, the wife of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque now faces an arrest order from the House Quad Comm, which is investigating the couple’s alleged involvement in illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
The mega-panel, led by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, issued the arrest order for Mylah Roque on Friday after she failed to attend the probe for the third time despite multiple invitations.
Her husband, now considered by the committee a fugitive, is also subject to an arrest warrant and has reportedly gone into hiding.
Mylah Roque, a former trustee of Pag-IBIG Fund representing private employers, is implicated in signing a lease agreement with Chinese nationals tied to an illegal POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac.
The Chinese nationals were arrested in July during a raid in Benguet on a property owned by PH2, a subsidiary of the Roque family’s Biancham Holdings.
Despite multiple summons, Mrs. Roque has been a no-show at every committee hearing, fueling suspicions surrounding her involvement.
The Quad Committee continues to pursue Harry Roque, his wife, and his former executive assistant, Alberto Rodulfo “AR” Dela Serna, for their alleged roles in illegal POGO activities.
Roque, who has been evading arrest, was earlier cited for contempt after refusing to submit critical documents, including his tax records and Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth or SALN.
Rather than comply, Roque went into hiding, accusing Congress of “power tripping” and defiantly stating he would not surrender.
The joint panel—composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts—has uncovered “overwhelming circumstantial evidence” tying Roque to Lucky South 99, a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, raided in June.
The raid revealed a laundry list of criminal activities, including human trafficking, torture, prostitution, scam farms and a porn operation.
Roque’s wealth reportedly ballooned during the POGO boom under former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration, heightening suspicions of his deeper involvement in the illegal operations.
The committee’s investigation also focuses on Dela Serna, who admitted to having a joint bank account with Roque, raising questions about their financial ties and potential involvement in illegal POGO operations.
Their foreign trips during Roque’s time in government are under scrutiny to determine whether they were connected to POGO operations or other financial dealings.
For his part, Quad Comm co-chairman, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. urged Roque, whom he described as a fugitive, to surface and face the music, warning him that the long arm of the law would soon catch up with him.
Abante said the crimes Quad Comm are investigating “have resulted in the loss of life,” in addition to “financial gain” on the part of those behind such illicit activities.
“I cannot fathom how those who have enriched themselves at the cost of the suffering of others can live with themselves knowing that their fortunes are built on the blood of their fellow citizens; how they can live lavishly knowing that their money is blood money,” he said.
“To these people and to those still in hiding, like Atty. Harry Roque, I say this: Have the courage to face the consequences of your actions. It is better to stand and be judged than to live in the shadow of your wrongdoings,” he said.
Abante warned Roque: “Maniwala po kayo; justice will catch up to you sooner or later. It is not a matter of if, but when. As we have always said, the time of reckoning has come.”
The former spokesman of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has been linked to the illegal POGO hub padlocked by the authorities in Porac, Pampanga, and to a house in Benguet rented by a Chinese fugitive and two Chinese POGO workers.
Roque served as counsel for Cassandra Li Ong, owner of the Porac POGO complex who is under House custody.
Quad Comm has cited Roque for contempt for the second time and ordered his arrest, but he chose to go into hiding.
In his opening remarks, Abante, who chairs the committee on human rights, said those behind EJKs, illegal POGOs, illicit drugs, and other unlawful activities have to face the consequences of their actions.
“Mga kababayan, the House of Representatives will not rest until those responsible for these heinous crimes are caught, tried, convicted and punished. We owe this to the victims, their families, and to every citizen who believes in the rule of law,” he said.
“But we will not stop there. We will also ensure that the suffering we have witnessed will not be repeated. We are committed to putting in place safeguards and laws that will prevent such tragedies from happening again,” he said.
“Hindi ito pwede maulit muli. Justice may sometimes be delayed, but it will not be denied. With resolve, we will continue this fight until justice is finally served,” he added.
Abante, who is a pastor, quoted the Bible: "It is joy to the just to do judgment; but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity."
“This passage, my friends, speaks of the righteous path of justice and the inevitable downfall of those who commit wrongdoing. It helps us to remember our duty in this Committee: to ensure that justice is served and that those responsible for the violence, corruption, and extrajudicial killings will face the consequences of their actions,” he said.
“To all those who believe they can continue to evade the law, let me borrow the words of the late Mike Enriquez: Hindi namin kayo tatantanan!,” he said.
He told his colleagues that Friday’s hearing was originally scheduled for Oct. 17 but had to be moved up “because the House of Representatives recognizes that justice cannot wait.”
“The urgency of our work is clear; those responsible for the violence and suffering we have uncovered must be held accountable. We must continue to be resolute in our quest for justice,” he said.
He said he would not stop thinking about the pieces of information the joint panel has gathered and the testimonies given by witnesses.
“We have heard in these hearings shocking examples of unexplained wealth. Houses that cost millions of pesos. Businesses bought and owned by those living on government salaries,” he said.
“These remind me of the line that appears at the beginning of the book by Mario Puzo, the Godfather. Attributed to Honoré de Balzac, the quote is: ‘behind every great fortune there is a crime’,” he added.
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