MANILA 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua on Tuesday urged former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to be honest about his ties to two foreign nationals arrested in a house in Tuba, Benguet, owned by a company where he is an incorporator.
“Bilang dati pong opisyal ng gobyerno, tingin ko dapat din ay maging honest siya at sabihin niya talaga kung ano ang kanyang kinalaman po dito," Chua said in a press conference at the House of Representatives.
Roque admitted during a recent Senate hearing that he had an “interest” in the corporation that owns the property where two Chinese nationals linked to an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac, were arrested for alleged visa violations.
The house was raided after the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission received information that a Chinese woman, wanted in connection with the Bamban raid, was there.
"Iyong pagkakasangkot po ni Secretary Roque dito sa Benguet raid, alam niyo po nakakalungkot dahil unang-una dapat talagang imbestigahan dahil iyong mga ganitong klaseng aktibidad dapat po talaga ay sinusuri natin dahil ang integridad ng ating gobyerno ang nakukwestyon po dito," Chua pointed out.
Earlier, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco revealed that Roque lobbied for a raided POGO in Porac, Pampanga, in July 2023.
Tengco said Roque went to his office along with Cassandra Li Ong, representative of the POGO Lucky South 99, to discuss the firm’s unpaid “arrears” worth USD500,000.
Roque refuted claims that he counseled for any illegal POGO or the Lucky South 99 Inc.
After his name came up in the Benguet raid, Roque cried foul over "concerted efforts" to link him to POGO operations.
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