Harry Roque cited for contempt after lying about absence in House probe

Former presidential spokesperson lawyer Harry Roque during the Senate hearing of Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on the alleged Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators’ illegal activities. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was cited for contempt for lying before the House of Representatives quad-committee regarding the reason for his absence at the first hearing.

During the quad-committee hearing on Thursday, Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo showed a certification from Manila Regional Trial Court Clerk of Court Atty. Jennifer dela Cruz-Buendia which stated that Roque, a lawyer, did not have a court hearing last Aug. 16.

The quad-committee held its first hearing on Aug. 16 in Bacolor, Pampanga, but Roque asked that he be excused from attending the discussions due to a hearing in a Manila court.

“Atty. Harry Roque sent a letter dated Aug. 13, 2024 addressed to the honorable chairman Robert Ace Barbers…informing Chair Barbers that he will not be able to participate to the said meeting due to a conflict with a previously scheduled court hearing before the Regional Trial Court on 16 August 2024 — the same date of our quad-committee hearing,” Salo said.

“Mr. Chair, we are also in receipt here of a copy of a certification…stating that Atty. Harry Roque has no hearing on August 16, and did not appear in the Court of Manila. Mr. Chair, I hate to say it but clearly Atty. Harry Roque, our former secretary and my former law professor lied to this committee, and that amounts to disrespect to the members of the committee, which is contemptable,” he added.

After Salo made his motion, the hearing was suspended several times by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the House committee on dangerous drugs, who presided over the quad-committee hearing.

The hearing was suspended for lawmakers to discuss Roque’s fate, as several committee members had different opinions regarding Salo’s motion.

After the break, Roque admitted that he made an honest mistake — thinking that the first quad-committee hearing would be held on a Thursday because the House usually does not hold hearings on a Friday.

According to Roque, he knows this for a fact because he is a former member of the House. He also said the hearing at the Manila court was also scheduled on August 15.

“It was an honest mistake your Honor. I have also been a member of this chamber, we don’t hold hearings on Fridays. So when I saw the notice of hearing, I assumed that just like the first and second hearing where I attended, that it will be on a Thursday. And that is true that I had a hearing both in the morning and in the afternoon, and that is why I sent that letter,” Roque said.

“That was an honest mistake. Had I had any intentions not to appear, I would have not appeared as well,” he added.

Roque also said he was not feeling well last Friday.

Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who chairs the House committee on human rights, asked that the decision on Salo’s motion be held in abeyance so that it would be discussed further.

On the other hand, Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza appealed to the committee that Roque should not be cited for contempt as it would be counterproductive for a resource person to be detained.

Daza said that since Roque had admitted his mistake, he may just be reprimanded instead of being handed a contempt order.

“Secretary Roque is an intelligent person, he could have actually put in his letter that he was sick, he could have put in there that he had a hearing and not put Manila, my point of view is that we could have never checked, but I think it was good faith, he actually put where the hearing was,” Daza said.

“So I’m more inclined to believe that it was an honest mistake, considering that he’s here, he’s appeared multiple times, and I think the biggest issues are the substance of these various resolutions — it will be counterproductive I think to cite him for contempt,” he noted.

However, Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, who heads the House committee on public accounts, said that there is no punishment of reprimand under the House rules, adding that contempt is the only corresponding action to a lying resource person.

Eventually, Barbers approved Salo’s motion after it was duly seconded. Daza then registered his opposition to the ruling after the motion was approved.

In consideration of Roque’s attendance and his relationship with the lawyer — as Roque was also a former Kabayan party-list representative — Salo moved that the period of detention be set to a maximum of one day at the House detention facility.

The motion was also approved by Barbers, but Roque opposed the decision of the committee, saying that he committed no violation that merits a contempt order.