Roque on human trafficking case vs him: Forced, trumped-up

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (PHOTO FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FB PAGE)

MANILA, Philippines — Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday tagged the human trafficking case filed against him as nothing more but a “forced” and “trumped-up” charge.

The Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission (Paocc) and the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) earlier included him as a respondent to the qualified human trafficking case filed against Cassandra Li Ong.

“This 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,” said Roque in a statement shortly after the charges concerning the operations of scam hub Lucky South 99 were filed against him.

Roque supported his remark by pointing out that he was not even included in the initial human trafficking charges filed against Ong and 53 others.

“They had no evidence linking me against Pogos (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) and obviously manufactured some now just to implicate me,” he said.

Roque once again denied his involvement in illegal Pogo operations, claiming that the charges against him were “forced” to “please the higher-ups.”

He likewise questioned the timing of the charges—citing his previous attacks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as what triggered the case against him.

Despite vehemently denying his involvement in Pogos, however, Roque said he will face the charge filed against him.

“I will face and answer the lies peddled against me and vow to hold those responsible for this miscarriage of justice in due course,” he said.

Roque was included in the human trafficking complaints due to his alleged “active participation” in the operations of Lucky South 99.

A testimony from Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Assistant Vice President Jessa Fernandez bared that Roque and Ong met with her on July 26, 2022.

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

Apart from Roque, a certain Ley Tan and Mercides Peralta Macabasa were also included in the charges for their roles in the operations of Lucky South 99—as Head of Accounting and Security Compliance Officer, respectively.