The Tamesis
December 5, 2024
Manila – Did key figures in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) assist former presidential spokesman Harry Roque in escaping the Philippines?
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros raised the possibility on Wednesday, adding that she hoped law enforcement officials would identify who helped Roque escape.
Roque was reportedly in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“Dubai [in UAE] It was an POGO center, so it's possible that POGO actors helped him escape,” Hontiveros said.
“The Bureau of Immigration (BI) still has a lot of explaining to do. Even though Guo Huaping escaped to Indonesia, they have not explained how this happened,” she added.
Immigration authorities said earlier that Roque may have left the country through illegal means. Immigration Director Joel Anthony Viado said based on verification of their records, Roque had not recently attempted to leave the country through formal channels.
Viado also said the immigration legal team is already looking into filing more complaints about Roque's alleged illegal travel.
Roque is involved in a qualified human trafficking case brought against Cassandra Li Ong and several others related to alleged illegal activities at offshore gaming center Lucky South 99 Corp.
He was issued a warrant for his arrest by the House of Representatives for contempt of court and was detained for failing to submit documents to justify a sudden increase in his wealth.
