By Junex Doronio
MANILA – House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed on Friday (13 Sept 2024) that the lower chamber of Congress has issued an arrest order for former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
Roque, who served as the spokesperson for former President Rodrigo Duterte, was cited in contempt and ordered detained by the House Quad Committee on Thursday, September 12, 2024, for refusing to submit documents meant to justify his increased wealth.
“Yes, [we have] served [it] at his law firm’s office,” Velasco stated.
Batangas Representative Gerville “Jinky” Luistro highlighted earlier that Roque must explain how his assets grew from P125,000 before 2016 to P125 million by 2018, or two years after.
“If Roque cannot prove the legal and valid source of his family-owned Biancham’s sudden increase in assets, there is reasonable ground to believe he may be connected to POGO operations, and this money possibly came from POGO activities,” Luistro remarked.
While Roque has strongly denied involvement in illegal POGO operations, he admitted to providing legal counsel to Whirlwind Corporation, the owner of the land where a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga was raided by authorities who also allegedly uncovered criminal activities such as torture and scam hubs.
ia/mnm
