The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has put into effect an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against former presidential spokesman Harry Roque after he was linked to supposedly shady personalities involved with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in Bamban, Tarlac.
In a statement on Tuesday, the BI said that the order, signed by the Justice Secretary, also includes Porac POGO representative Cassandra Li Ong, former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, and eight others.
The DOJ issues ILBOs for prudence instructing immigration officers to double check if there are any pending arrest warrants against the subjects, if they committed any violation or infraction, and to monitor their itineraries and whereabouts should they attempt to leave the country, it was explained.
The ILBO states that, “considering the gravity of charges, subjects may attempt to place themselves beyond the reach of legal processes by fleeing the country, hence the BI is ordered to relay to the DOJ attempts to obtain information for the proper course of action to be undertaken by immigration officers.”
However, the BI clarified that the ILBO is only a “monitoring mechanism” and not a hold departure order.
As this developed, several members of the House of Representatives are pushing for the formation of a four-committee panel that would comprehensively look into the activities of POGOs and their connections with other illegal activities including alleged atrocities committed during the Duterte administration’s drug war.
On Monday, Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. urged the law-making body to combine separate ongoing inquiries by three committees.
Two other House members, Manila Rep. Joel Chua and Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas, also filed Resolution 1843, proposing a fusion of the inquiries by the three committees: dangerous drugs, public order and safety, and human rights.
A fourth member, Gerville Luistro of Batangas, suggested during Monday’s plenary session that the Committee on Public Accounts be included in the proposed multi-committee investigating panel.
“The complex yet interrelated nature of the issues surrounding public order, dangerous drugs, and human rights violations demonstrates the unique benefits of a collaborative approach that only a joint investigation can provide. (This) will enable us to conduct a more inclusive and thorough examination of these interlocking issues,” Gonzales said.
“It will allow us to invite resource persons who can provide valuable insights across multiple areas of concern. This coordinated effort will ensure that our findings are comprehensive and that our legislative recommendations are practical and encompassing,” he added.
Meanwhile, suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo may be stripped of her position after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) approved an investigative panel’s recommendation to file a criminal complaint against her for allegedly misrepresenting herself during her 2021 candidacy in violation of the Omnibus Election.
In a viber message, Comelec chairman George Garcia said Guo may face a case of perjury or falsification of public documents because she lied when she signed a sworn document.
He directed the commission’s Law Department “to file a motu proprio Complaint and conduct a Preliminary Investigation against Mayor Alice Leal Guo/Guo, Huang Ping y Lin for material misrepresentation in violation of Section 74 in relation to 262 of the Omnibus Election Code.
The poll body acted on the recommendation of its Law Department based on a fact-finding inquiry on Guo, the Comelec chairman explained.
Furthermore, Garcia said they also took into account the separate examinations conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the COMELEC’s Election Records and Statistics Department (ERSD) on the fingerprints of the suspended mayor and Chinese national Guo Hua Ping.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Immigration lookout bulletin order issued against Harry Roque
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