SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers laughed off Roque’s claim of political persecution, saying the former Palace spokesman hid because he could not produce the documents he promised to present to the House quad committee investigating his links to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Barbers said the “desperate” former Duterte presidential spokesman is not being persecuted, saying that “in the first place, he’s not a very important political figure.”
“Alam mo, ganyan talaga kapag desperado na, na-iipit na. Ang totoo naman, the reason why he’s running away is because ayaw niyang i-presenta ang mga dokumentong hiningi sa kanya dahil mabubuking siya. ‘Yung kanyang involvement dito sa iligal na POGO, sa pag-abogado niya dito sa mga iligal na gawain (You know, that’s how one acts when he’s desperate, when he is cornered. The truth is, the reason why he’s running away is because he doesn’t want to present the documents because he’ll get caught. That’s his involvement in illegal POGO and lawyering for illegal acts),” Barbers told reporters.
The joint committee has ordered Roque to submit his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth from 2016 to 2022, copies of the documents related to the transfer of Biancham’s shareholdings, and his 2018 income tax return, which was filed in 2019.
The former Duterte spokesman’s name was linked to POGOs after a house in Tuba, Benguet, reportedly owned by him, was raided, resulting in the arrest of two Chinese linked to an illegal POGO operation in Bamban, Tarlac.
A practicing lawyer, Roque has admitted having an “interest” in the corporation that owns the Benguet property.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco has also revealed that Roque lobbied for Lucky South 99 in July 2023 when he accompanied client Cassandra Li Ong, the alleged representative of Lucky South 99, a raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, during a visit to his office to discuss the firm’s unpaid arrears amounting to $500,000.
Roque’s wife, Mylah, was also summoned to the hearing after lawmakers questioned her husband about his business and financial dealings, seeking to establish his connection to POGOs, particularly Lucky South 99. The panel wanted to question the couple about their business Biancham Holdings and Trading Inc., which was founded in 2014.
It was found that initially, Roque and his wife, Mylah, each held 49.9 percent of the company’s shares until the majority was transferred to lawyer Percival Ortega, who now holds 99.99 percent.
Biancham’s audited financial report, however, showed the company’s cash balance surged from a measly P125,300 in 2014 to P67.7 million in 2018, during the peak of POGOs under the Duterte administration.
Barbers said the quad comm has yet to discuss if it will act to try to block Roque’s application for political asylum in the Netherlands, since the panel has a standing warrant of arrest against him.
He said lawmakers have to study the grounds cited by Roque to determine if there is a need to act. “But I think on the merits of his request, baka hindi naman siya pagbigyan (his request may not be approved) because there’s no sign of political persecution against him,” he said.
“Kung siya ay walang kinalaman o siya ay hindi guilty doon sa kanyang involvement dito sa mga illegal na POGO na ito, e ba’t ka nagtatago? Di ba? Huwag ka magtago. Ang dami mong sinasabi, andami mong kuda (If he has nothing to do or he’s not guilty of involvement in illegal POGOs, why are you hiding? Right? Don’t hide. You talk a lot, you’re all talk),” Barbers said.
