SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers yesterday told former presidential spokesman Harry Roque to dial down his sense of self-importance for saying that the administration has now clamped down on dissent after he was detained for one day at the House of Representatives for lying to the four House committees looking into the proliferation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Well, ako, ang masasabi ko lang, medyo parang siguro bawas-bawasan ni Atty. Harry Roque ‘yong paniwala na napaka-importanteng political figure niya para sikilin ‘yong kanyang freedom of expression (Well, for me, all I can say is Atty. Roque should dial down his belief that he is such an important political figure that his freedom of expression needs to be curtailed),” Barbers, chair of the quad comm, told reporters.
Barbers said the government would have targeted more important personalities if it really wanted to repress critics.
“Huwag na sanang haluan ng politika dito. Wala hong politika dito dahil kung mayroon sisikilin na freedom of expression, e ‘di sana hindi ikaw (Roque), ‘no, hindi ikaw, marami siguro d’yan (Let’s not paint a political color to this. There’s no politics in this because if there’s someone whose freedom of expression will be curtailed, it’s not you, no, not you, there are many others there),” he said.
Barbers chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs which leads the quad comm. The three other panels that are part of the quad comm are the House Committees on Public Order and Safety of Sta. Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, Public Accounts of Joseph Stephen Paduano (PL, Abang Lingkod), and Human Rights of Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.
After being released from detention after he was cited in contempt, Roque on Friday night posted on social media a video of him near the Edsa Shrine assailing the Marcos Jr. administration for allegedly silencing critics.
Last Thursday, the quad comm cited Roque in contempt for lying before them about why he did not attend its August 16 hearing in Pampanga.
The panel reached the decision after Rep. Ron Salo (PL, Kabayan) showed a certification from Manila Regional Trial Court Clerk Jennifer dela Cruz-Buendia which belied Roque’s claim in an August 13 letter that he attended a court hearing that day.
That same day, the quad comm also subpoenaed Alberto Rodulfo “AR” Dela Serna, Roque’s former executive assistant, a former male pageant contestant who represented the Philippines in the 2016 Mister Supranational competition in Poland.
Dele Serna came under intense public scrutiny after Roque was implicated in the operations of POGO hubs operated by Chinese high-rollers.
Dela Serna’s connection to Roque was revealed during a raid by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on the Lucky South 99 compound in Porac in Pampanga, a known POGO hub.
During the raid, authorities discovered Dela Serna’s appointment papers as Executive Assistant III under Roque’s office, dated October 5, 2021, along with an affidavit from Roque assuming full responsibility for Dela Serna’s financial needs during a trip to Poland, Ukraine and Italy in October 2023.
Barbers said the quad comm does not issue contempt orders on a whim, stressing that the four committees only do it if resource persons lie or provide them wrong answers or documents.
“Wala hong ganon, hindi ho natin ini-entertain, at saka hindi po natin papayagan na ma-curtail ‘yong freedom of expression, freedom of speech ng kahit sino kasi ‘yan po ay labag sa ating Saligang Batas (There’s nothing like that and we’ll not allow the curtailment of the freedom of expression, freedom of speech of anyone because that’s against the law),” he said.
“So, kung ikaw (Roque) ay naniniwala na napaka-importante mo, e nasa sa iyo ‘yan (So if you believe that you’re such an important person, it’s up to you),” Barbers said.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chair Alejandro Tengco earlier said Roque went to his office last year with Katherine Cassandra Li Ong to discuss the Lucky South 99’s unpaid “arrears” worth $500,000.
Ong is an incorporator of Lucky South.
Roque has denied lawyering for Ong and Lucky South 99, saying he only accompanied her for his client, Whirlwind Corp., the company that leased the Pampanga land to Lucky South.
