November 19, 2024 | 7:37am
MANILA, Philippines — Former human rights lawyer and presidential spokesperson Harry Roque did not attend the preliminary investigation into the qualified trafficking in persons case filed against him.
In an interview with reporters on Monday, November 18, prosecutor Eugene Yusi said Roque had not submitted a counter-affidavit at the preliminary investigation despite being notified of the date and nature of the case.
“If he fails to appear or participate in the preliminary investigation, the complaint will be resolved based on the complaint and the evidence annexed to the complaint,” Yusi said in an ambush interview.
Roque, however, claimed he did not receive a subpoena for the probe.
“[I] did not get any subpoena to attend from DOJ (Department of Justice) and hence I did not. Further, I’ve not been furnished with complaint affidavits of PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission),” Roque said in a message to Philstar.com.
The former presidential spokesperson was implicated in a trafficking case involving individuals allegedly operating the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) Lucky South 99. The supplemental complaint against him was filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on October 28.
The complaint cited a provision in the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, which holds officers and directors accountable if a corporation is involved in human trafficking. It alleged that Roque and two others contributed to the illicit activities conducted by the Porac-based POGO.
The supplemental complaint stemmed from an earlier case filed against Whirlwind Corp. incorporator Cassandra Ong and 53 others for alleged acts of kidnapping, torture, and debt bondage.
Roque’s inclusion in the case was tied to his listing as a “legal” in Lucky South 99’s organizational chart.
The case is connected to a raid conducted on June 5, when authorities targeted a Porac-based POGO operated by Chinese nationals linked to Lucky South 99 Corp.
During the operation, authorities discovered over 150 foreign nationals working at the POGO hub. Among them, a Chinese national was found handcuffed to a bedframe, raising serious concerns about possible human trafficking and abuse.
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