House panel urged the Philippines’ anti-money laundering body to investigate Harry Roque’s assets amid his alleged involvement in POGOs.
The Philippine House quad committee has recommended a thorough audit of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque's bank accounts, assets, and transactions by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
If necessary, the committee suggested freezing these assets to investigate Roque’s alleged links to illegal players in the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) industry.
The 51-page report, cited by the Inquirer, proposed that a freeze order be applied to Roque’s assets if they are found to be connected to predicate offenses defined under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001.
The quad committee’s recommendations were outlined in its first progress report, which summarized key findings from a four-month inquiry into criminal activities tied to the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
These activities include extrajudicial killings and illegal POGO operations. While the committee stopped short of accusing Roque of a specific offense, it emphasized the need for a criminal investigation to determine his involvement with Lucky South 99 and Whirlwind Corp., two entities allegedly tied to illicit operations.
The report stated: “AMLA should initiate an investigation on the acquisition of his assets. Thereafter, a freeze order over the assets owned by [Roque] should be applied for provided it is shown that they are materially linked, relate to, or involve predicate offenses defined in the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001.”
Roque’s financial activities raised questions during the POGO probe, particularly the significant surge in his declared assets. According to the quad committee, Roque’s net worth ballooned from P125,000 in 2016 to P125 million by 2018—a period coinciding with the height of POGO operations under the Duterte administration.
Adding to the intrigue, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) chair Al Tengco revealed that Roque had facilitated meetings between Tengco and Cassandra Ong, an incorporator of Whirlwind Corp., to address Lucky South 99’s unpaid arrears in July 2023. Roque has denied acting as legal counsel for any POGO and claimed he was merely representing Ong.
Roque and his wife, Mylah, left the Philippines following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him in September for contempt. The quad committee accused Roque of refusing to attend hearings and withholding requested documents.
The couple surfaced on November 29, 2024 at the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, where they notarized a counter affidavit related to a separate human trafficking case. The committee has since recommended that the government pursue extradition to bring Roque back to the Philippines.
“Extradition treaties can be invoked, or a diplomatic request for repatriation may suffice,” the report stated.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) also came under fire for its alleged role in Roque’s departure. The committee called for an investigation into who may have facilitated his escape, with the BI hinting that Roque could have been aided by "unscrupulous individuals." Charges of falsification of public documents are being considered against him.
“The Bureau of Immigration (BI) should be investigated to determine who helped Roque escape undetected,” the report added. The BI has stated that Roque’s departure may have been facilitated by unscrupulous individuals, and it is considering charging him with falsification of public documents.
Read related article: Probe On Immigration Eyed For Harry Roque's Undetected Departure
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