Palace: Roque’s rant ‘kwentong barbero’

Harry Roque —Photo from Harry Roque FB page

MANILA, Philippines — “Kuwentong walang kuwenta, kuwentong barbero (A story without substance, just barber’s gossip)” was how Malacañang described on Wednesday former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s remarks blaming the Marcos government for his current situation.

“It seems he is even blaming the President and the administration for his situation and what became of him. The first question is: What proof does he have?” Palace Press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

In an exclusive interview with One News on Tuesday, Roque shared the struggles he and his wife faced in moving from one country to another.

“I will never forgive the Marcos administration,” he said. “I was forced under the circumstances to live outside of the Philippines after 58 years.”

Castro, however, wondered why Roque was blaming the government for his predicament.

“The President was not with him when he made a deal with Whirlwind and Lucky South 99. Nor was the President with him when he processed the permit or license for Lucky South 99. The President also was not with him, it seems, when he opened a joint account with AR dela Serna,” Castro said.

She further pointed out that Marcos did not order Roque to attend the House quad committee hearings.

Voluntary

“All of this came voluntarily from him; all the stories he shared with the quad comm and the House of Representatives came from him. So how can he blame the President and the administration for this?” Castro asked.

Roque was investigated by the House committee for his alleged involvement in Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) in Porac, Pampanga, that authorities raided in June last year for human trafficking and scamming activities.

Roque told the committee that he served as legal counsel to real estate firm Whirlwind Corp., which leased land to Lucky South 99 but denied any connection to the Pogo hub.

During the hearings, Dela Serna, a male pageant winner who was described as the former presidential spokesperson’s “all-around aide,” admitted that they used to have a joint bank account, which has since been closed. His name came up after documents bearing his name were seized from Lucky South 99.

In October 2024, the House committee ordered Roque arrested after he failed to attend subsequent hearings and refused to submit additional documents it required of him.

Pending application

He surfaced in March in the Netherlands, where he has since applied for asylum.

In May, an Angeles City, Pampanga court ordered Roque’s arrest, along with 52 others, for qualified human trafficking in connection with the operations of Lucky South 99.

One of his coaccused in the case, Cassandra Li Ong, earlier questioned before the Court of Appeals (CA) the April 7 resolution of the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor general that indicted her.

But in a seven-page resolution dated June 25, the CA’s 13th Division said it was not persuaded by Ong’s arguments in justifying her immediate resort to the appellate court without first appealing the indictment with the DOJ.

“Petitioner’s belief that reconsideration and appeal would have been futile in this case is speculative and conjectural. Immediate resort to this court was unjustified and this court has no other duty but to dismiss the petition,” the CA said in the ruling penned by Associate Justice Pablito Perez.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission earlier tagged Ong as an incorporator of Lucky South 99.

The Porac hub, according to authorities, operated as a “scam farm,” with employees saying they were subjected to confinement and forced labor under inhumane conditions. They also complained of being exposed to severe physical harm and torture and frequent threats for failing to meet labor quotas or attempts to escape, while their passports and communication devices were seized. /cb