PAOCC on Roque: We can’t discount his possible involvement in Pogos

Former presidential spokesperson lawyer Harry Roque denies he owns the house in an exclusive subdivision in Tuba, Benguet which was raided by law authorities. Roque told senators during the 5th public hearing of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality on Monday, July 29, 2024, that he stayed in the house after his stint in the government, but the residence in question is registered to a corporation.  Bureau of Immigration intelligence division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said they arrested a Cambodian and Chinese woman connected to the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators hub in Bamban, Tarlac during the Benguet raid. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said it could no longer “discount” the possibility that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was involved in the operations of raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) in Tarlac and Pampanga provinces.

In a news forum on Saturday, PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said they would like to give Roque the benefit of the doubt. However, he revealed that Roque’s name kept appearing on the documents found in the raided Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga.

READ: Roque’s bank documents found in raided Pampanga Pogo – PAOCC

“But then again, now that his name keeps on cropping up in the documents, in the digital footprint, in the testimonial footprint, we cannot discount his possible involvement in all of these matters,” Casio said.

“I don’t believe in coincidence anymore as far as Harry Roque is concerned. His footprint is everywhere, but of course, you have to put one plus equals two to build a case,” he added.

Casio also said the PAOCC is “not motivated by politics” or “personal interests” as the commission initially found nothing suspicious in documents bearing Roque’s name.

“In fact, the public may recall that when the documents attributed to Roque were found in Lucky South 99, our executive director, Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, and myself said we found nothing suspicious as far as those documents were concerned,” he said.

Roque tells PAOCC: Submit evidence to prosecutor’s office

Roque on Saturday night said PAOCC seemed to be “fond of publicity.”

“Spokesperson Mr. Winston Casio has given at least three media interviews in a span of one week. Kapag tinatanong ang status ng kaso, laging sinasabi ng PAOCC na nangangalap pa lang sila ng ebidensiya. Pero panay kaliwa’t kanan na pa-interview,” he said.

(But if asked about the status of the case, PAOCC always says they are still consolidating the evidence. But they are doing interviews left and right.)

“Tama na po ang walang basehan trial by publicity (Stop this trial by publicity that has no basis). I reiterate my call to the PAOCC: Submit their evidence to the prosecutor’s office. File a case so I can defend myself in the proper court. Maghihintay po tayo (Let us wait),” he added.