House committee cites Roque in contempt again
The House Quad Committee on Thursday cited former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in contempt again after refusing to submit documents related to its probe on extrajudicial killings in the previous administration.
Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores made the motion to cite Roque in contempt.
“I move Mr. Chair, that we hold Mr. Harry Roque in contempt for refusing to submit the documents subject to the subpoena of which he has manifested that he was going to submit to this committee,” Flores said.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, chairperson of the panel, approved the motion after hearing no objections.
“Are there any objections? Hearing none, the motion is carried,” Barbers said.
Flores also made a motion to detain Roque in the House of Representatives’ detention facility.
Barbers also granted the motion when it was also seconded without objections.
Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma was also declared in contempt by the Quad Committee for evading questions from lawmakers if she was involved in extra judicial killings during the previous administration.
Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said that documents such as Roque’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) would help in identifying if he profited from POGOs or not.
Roque was also detained in August for allegedly lying to the panel about why he skipped the first hearing on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
In a previous hearing, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco claimed Roque was the lawyer of Lucky South 99, a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque earlier denied his connection to illegal POGOs. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
