Roque included in trafficking raps tied to raided Pogo

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque

MANILA, Philippines — Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is now implicated in the qualified human trafficking case against Cassandra Li Ong and several others in relation to the alleged illegal activities of the Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub Lucky South 99 Corp.

In a 15-page supplemental complaint affidavit filed on Monday, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group added Roque, Lucky South 99 Corp., Whirlwind Corp., Mercides Peralta Macabasa and Ley Tan as respondents in the initial complaint filed on Sept. 10 against those involved in the illegal Pogo in Porac, Pampanga, which was raided earlier in June.

READ: Harry Roque: No cases filed against me on Pogos

Deputy City Prosecutor Darwin Cañete told reporters that Roque was included due to his “active participation in the furtherance of the illegal activity” of Lucky South 99.

Based on the complaint, Roque was listed as the legal officer of Lucky South 99 in the application of the Pogo hub for the renewal of its permit with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

‘Something not right’

“Respondent Roque offered his legal services to Lucky South 99 despite having claimed that he only lawyered for Whirlwind in an ejectment case, but the organizational structure of Lucky South 99 and his activities speak otherwise,” the document read in part.

It noted that Roque “benefited from the fruits of the trafficking in persons operations” and other illegal activities in the Pogo hubs but chose to keep silent about it.

“As an officer of Lucky South 99, respondent Roque knows that there is something not right about what is happening inside the compound, and he intentionally withheld such information from the police or from any law enforcement agents,” the complaint said.

Cañete pointed out that a testimony from Pagcor assistant vice president Jessa Marie Fernandez on July 26, 2022, stated that Roque and Cassandra Ong went to their office and that Roque “made several follow-ups with her on the status of the renewal of the gambling license of Lucky South.”

SHUTTERED GAMING HUB The Lucky South 99 Pogo compound in Porac, Pampanga was raided by authorities in June. —Grig C. Montegrande

“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,” the prosecutor said.

‘Trumped-up charge’

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Roque said the complaint filed with the Department of Justice was “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 … They had no evidence linking me against Pogos and obviously manufactured some now just to implicate me,” Roque said.

But according to Cañete, the complaint filed is an opportunity for the former official to clear his name and submit contravening evidence.

Meanwhile, Tan, who was also named as a new respondent, allegedly cooperated in the trafficking and other illegal activities of the Pogo by becoming the head of the accounting department, as evidenced by the organizational chart that Lucky South submitted to Pagcor.

In her capacity, Tan “enabled” the corporation to commit 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 is essential in sustaining the appearance as in the preparation of books and accounts,” he added.