Human trafficking rap filed vs. Harry Roque, 2 others

Former presidential spokesperson lawyer Harry Roque denies he owns the house in an exclusive subdivision in Tuba, Benguet which was raided by law authorities over the weekend. 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 (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau).

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have filed a qualified human trafficking complaint against former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and two others for their alleged involvement in the Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) involved in illegal activities.

In a supplemental complaint affidavit filed before the Department of Justice, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (Paocc) and the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) added Roque, Ley Tan, and Mercedes Peralta Macabasa in its complaints against Cassandra Li Ong.

READ: Cassandra Ong, 51 others charged with qualified human trafficking

Asked why Roque was included in the complaint affidavit, Deputy City Prosecutor Darwin Cañete said it was due to his alleged “active participation” in the operations of Pogo firm Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.

“Based on the allegations of the supplemental complaint affidavit, it has something to do with the active participation of Atty. Roque in the furtherance of the illegal activity of Lucy South 99,” Cañete said in a chance interview.

In the complaint, a testimony from Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Assistant Vice President Jessa Fernandez confirmed that Roque and Ong met with her on July 26, 2022.

Roque also allegedly made “several follow-ups” with Fernandez concerning the status of Lucky South 99’s gambling license renewal.

“So, combined together, based on the investigation of Paocc, officers and people who have something to do with the corporation should be made to answer and are supposed to explain their respective activities with respect to the human trafficking activities of Lucky South,” said Cañete, citing Republic Act 9208.

Roque said the case filed against him “is nothing but a trumped-up charge.”

“It took PAOCC four months after the raid in Porac, Pampanga, to get witnesses to agree in concocting lies for the sake of implicating me,” Roque said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Tan was included in the complaint for allegedly “cooperating in the trafficking of persons and other illegal activities of Lucky South by becoming the head of the accounting department,” according to Cañete.

This is based on the organizational chart submitted by Lucky South 99 to Pagcor.

“In her capacity in the organization, she enabled the corporation to perform what it has done with respect to human trafficking,” Cañete said.

“You make companies like this appear legitimate. You protect the facade of the corporation as a legitimate organization doing ordinary things when in fact, they were committing human trafficking so her participation in sustaining the appearance is essential,” he added.

Macabasa, on the other hand, served as Lucky South 99’s Security Compliance Officer.