Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)
MANILA – The quad committee (Quadcom) of the House of Representatives on Tuesday branded former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque as a “defiant fugitive from justice” who appears to be acting weird and strange by mocking the panel and mounting legal challenges instead of cooperating.
The Quadcom cited Roque in contempt twice and issued an arrest order against him for alleged lying and refusal to submit vital documents he promised to voluntarily bring to the panel.
Roque stated in a recent social media post that he would challenge the House panel’s decision by filing a petition for habeas corpus and certiorari before the Supreme Court.
Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the chairperson of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said that while Roque is free to seek and avail of all legal remedies, he needs to get arrested first before he can file petitions before the High Court.
“As far as Mr. Roque is concerned, he is considered a fugitive from justice by defying the Quadcom’s order to place him under detention. We welcome whatever legal challenge he may opt to file against Quadcom,” Barbers said in a news release.
Barbers said a fugitive in most jurisdictions can mean someone who has an arrest warrant but is evading law and avoiding punishment.
"This is where the fugitive from justice phrase comes from,” he said.
Habeas corpus is a legal action or writ by means of which “detainees can seek relief from unlawful imprisonment.”
“This means Mr. Roque can only file such petition once he is arrested and detained,” he said.
A petition for certiorari and prohibition, on the other hand, is an appropriate remedy to raise constitutional issues and to review and/or prohibit or nullify the acts of legislative and executive officials.
“Mr. Roque can run but he cannot hide from the law. Once arrested and he files his petitions or legal remedy before the Supreme Court, the Quadcom will respect and abide with whatever decision the High Court would dish out,” Barbers said.
Roque was implicated in the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) controversy for reportedly accompanying and helping Cassandra Li Ong, an official of the illegal Lucky South 99 gaming firm, pay off its six-month arrears totaling USD500,000 to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
He admitted, on record, to being a lawyer for Whirlwind, the company that is leasing its Porac, Pampanga compound to Lucky South 99.
Among the documents that Roque refused to submit are copies of his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, documents related to his family firm Biancham and a subsidiary in Benguet called PH2, and a deed of sale of a 1.8-hectare Parañaque City property.
Quadcom member Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro earlier said the panel discovered the sudden increase in Roque’s assets from PHP125,000 before 2016 to PHP125 million in 2018 when he was still presidential spokesperson.
“If Mr. Roque has nothing to hide on his possible links to POGOs, based on results of the ongoing Quadcom probe, he would not have to resort to disrespecting the panel, branding it as a kangaroo court and portray defiance with authorities by mouthing future legal challenge against it,” Barbers said.
House Quad Committee co-chair Rep. Dan Fernandez said Roque should face the panel and submit the necessary documents if he had nothing to hide on the illegal POGO activities.
"Flight is often an indication of guilt,” Fernandez, chair of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, said.
"The House of Representatives is not acting arbitrarily. We are simply seeking the truth. Mr. Roque is responsible for clearing his name if he believes these allegations are baseless. Dodging the inquiry only raises more questions," he said.
Fernandez said Roque’s behavior speaks volumes about the seriousness of the allegations against the former presidential spokesperson.
“There’s an old saying – if you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing,” he added.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., also co-chair of quad panel, said Roque is not above the law.
“The law applies to everyone. Roque’s actions are not about standing up for his rights – they are about avoiding accountability. He is not above the law,” he said.
Abante dismissed Roque’s claim that the House had overstepped its authority, saying "Congress has the authority to investigate, and his defiance only fuels suspicion that he is trying to conceal evidence that can incriminate him.”
“Roque’s refusal to cooperate with the House shows that, one, he is afraid of what we may uncover; and two, that he believes that the law does not apply to him. This is unbecoming of a former cabinet member and a former member of Congress,” Abante said.
PNP tracker teams
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said special trackers, led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, have been mobilized to search for Roque.
Marbil said the National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Immigration are also helping out the police.
“Alam niya naman ‘yung tama sa mali. Magpakita siya dito sa House of Representatives (He knows what is right and what is wrong. He must show up here at the House of Representatives),” Marbil said in a chance interview during the hearing for the PNP’s proposed budget for 2025.
Marbil assured that the operations would be carried out with the highest level of professionalism and respect for due process.
“We have officially received the request from the House of Representatives and the PNP is fully committed to executing this order while adhering to our core mandate,” he said.
“Our fundamental duty is to respect the decisions of our democratic institutions and ensure human rights are protected throughout this process.” (with Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/Zaldy De Layola/PNA)
