Harry Roque told: ‘Flight is often an indication of guilt’

Former presidential spokesperson lawyer Harry Roque (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s refusal to comply with orders to submit key documents and to attend congressional hearings go against the principle of transparency and accountability, House of Representatives lawmakers said on Tuesday.

In a statement, leaders of the House’s quad-committee disputed Roque’s latest assertions that the panel is acting arbitrarily — noting that the hearings were a chance for the former official to clear his name and clarify alleged links to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo).

“Flight is often an indication of guilt,” Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, who heads the House committee on public order and safety, said.  “If Mr. Roque had nothing to hide, he would face the committee and submit the necessary documents. His refusal to comply only raises suspicions among lawmakers.”

READ: Harry Roque on the run: PNP joins manhunt

“The House of Representatives is not acting arbitrarily. We are simply seeking the truth. Mr. Roque is responsible for clearing his name if he believes these allegations are baseless. Dodging the inquiry only raises more questions,” Fernandez added.

Continuous avoidance

Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers meanwhile said that Roque’s continuous avoidance of the hearings would only reinforce the belief that he is linked to the Pogos.

READ: House arrest order: Authorities searching for Harry Roque

“Roque should set an example, not avoid accountability. If he continues to resist, it will only reinforce the public’s perception that he is guilty of the allegations,” Barbers said in the same statement.

“We are all subject to the rule of law. No one is above it, and no one can hide from it. Those who evade accountability are not serving the interests of justice, but their self-interest,” he added.

READ: Joint bank account: Roque’s ex-executive assistant quizzed

In a video posted on his Facebook page, Roque maintained that he is not a fugitive of law because it is only a branch of Congress that made the declaration — adding that he will not allow himself to be arrested until the Supreme Court rules on the matter.

Quad-committee hearing

The quad-committee during its hearing last September 12 cited Roque for contempt again as he refused to comply with the subpoena on documents, and for skipping the proceedings.

“Magpapa-aresto ba ako o hindi?  Well naniniwala po kasi ako na kapag ang Kongreso ay lumabag sa kanyang kapangyarihan at naging guilty ng grave abuse of power at grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction, iligal po ang kanilang order,” Roque said.

(Will I have myself arrested or not?  Well I believe that if Congress violates limits on its powers and becomes guilty of grave abuse of power and grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction, the order is illegal.)

“Kinikilala ko po na kailangan magkaroon ng desisyon ang Korte Suprema kaya po aantayin ko ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema,” he added.

(I subscribe to the need for the Supreme Court to decide on the matter, that’s why I will wait for the Supreme Court’s decision.)

Illegal Pogo operations

Previously, Roque was asked to submit different documents like his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) when he was still with the government, along with different income tax returns, for the quad-committee to check allegations of ties to illegal Pogo operations.

The lawyer made an appeal, saying that releasing the documents already infringed on his privacy.  However, the quad-committee dismissed his motion to quash the order, as Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro maintained that public welfare takes primacy over privacy.

Roque was linked to the raided Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga after documents bearing his signature were found by authorities.  He also admitted later that he accompanied Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, an incorporator of Whirlwind Corporation that leased land to the raided Pogo hub in Porac, to settle fees with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The quad-committee was formed to investigate a possible correlation between illegal activities in Pogos, the illicit drug trade, alleged extrajudicial killings in the past administration’s drug war, and foreign nationals’ purchase of land and entry into local businesses.

Moreover, the panel claimed that they were able to establish links between the drug war and Pogos, as money from the said industry was supposedly used to reward police officers who get to kill drug suspects.