Harry Roque and his wife Mylah Roque. Photo from Harry Roque’s Facebook page.
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives quad committee has cited Mylah Roque, the wife of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, for contempt and moved to arrest her after she failed to respond to a subpoena from the panels.
During the four panels’ eighth hearing on Friday, House committee on public accounts chairperson and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano moved to cite Roque’s wife for contempt after she did not reply to the quad committee’s subpoena ad testificandum.
It was approved by the quad committee lead presiding officer and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers after the motion was seconded.
Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop then moved for the issuance of an arrest order against Mrs. Roque.
“May I move that we also issue an arrest order insofar as the person of Ms. Mylah Roque is concerned,” Acop said after it was approved.
Mrs. Roque was invited to the quad committee after her name popped up in some companies owned by former secretary Roque. Those firms were believed to be linked to Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub Lucky South 99.
Lucky South 99 is the Pogo in Porac, Pampanga, that was raided due to human trafficking allegations.
Roque was linked to Lucky South 99 after authorities found documents bearing his signature during the raid. He also admitted later that he accompanied Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, an incorporator of Whirlwind Corporation that leased land to the raided Pogo hub in Porac, to settle fees with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Due to these alleged ties, the quad-committee invited Roque to the hearings.
READ: Roque: Pagcor chief did not say I lobbied for illegal Pogo firms
Harry Roque was cited for contempt by the quad-committee — for the second time — after he skipped the hearings last September 12 and refused to comply with a subpoena on key documents, like his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, and other tax declarations.
The quad-committee released recently an arrest order against him, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been tracking down Roque ever since.
But in a video posted on his Facebook page, Roque maintained that he is not a fugitive of law because only a branch of Congress declared it, adding that he will not allow himself to be arrested until the Supreme Court rules on the matter.
READ: Harry Roque told: ‘Flight is often an indication of guilt’