MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives quad committee wants government agencies to mount a full legal attack against lawyer Harry Roque, former spokesperson of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, over his ties to a raided scam hub in Porac, Pampanga, and his fleeing the country in the face of congressional warrants.

“A criminal Investigation should also be commenced to inquire into the extent of his involvement in the operation of Lucky South 99 and Whirlwind Corporation, among others,” said the quad committee in its progress report officially submitted December 19, a copy of which was obtained by Rappler on Monday, December 23.

Roque is already facing criminal complaints for human trafficking and money laundering over his ties to the Lucky South 99 scam hub in Porac, although that is still pending with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and with no court warrants yet. The recommendation from the quad committee is an added push, although prosecutors have no obligation to follow.

Roque managed to go abroad because there are no court warrants against him,, As per last update he was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE.) The quad committee said the “Bureau of Immigration should be investigated to determine who helped Atty. Herminio Harry Roque Jr escape undetected.”

The committee also wants the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) “to initiate an investigation on the acquisition of his assets.” Malacañang, through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, has already asked AMLC to freeze the assets of Roque’s family firm Biancham. The quad committee is backing that request, saying “a freeze order over the assets owned by Atty. Herminio Harry Roque Jr should be applied for provided it is shown that they are materially linked, relates to, or involves predicate offenses defined in the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001.”

Roque is tied to the Porac scam hub by way of his lawyering for Whirlwind, the real estate company that rented out to the Lucky South 99 POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators). Roque has also admitted to helping Lucky South 99’s Katherine Cassandra Ong to set meetings with Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation so the POGO could renew its license.

The quad committee has also flagged the increase in assets of Roque’s family company. “There was a significant and suspicious increase in the corporation’s financial growth, with an increase in assets from Php 125,300 in 2014 to Php 67,775,300 in 2018,” said the progress report.

Roque, the quad committee said, must be brought back to the Philippines as soon as possible. Without a court warrant, the legal grounds to coerce him to come home are very limited, if any.

“If a criminal investigation has been commenced against Atty. Herminio Harry Roque, Ir. and he is in a country where the Philippines has an extradition treaty with, efforts should be made to bring him back based on that treaty. Otherwise, a diplomatic request for repatriation may suffice similar to the factual milieu of Katherine Cassandra Li Ong and Guo Hua Ping a.k.a. Alice Leal Guo,” said the quad committee. – Rappler.com