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MANILA, Philippines — The House Quad Committee has decided to drop its pursuit of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and his wife, Mylah Roque, lifting the contempt orders issued against them in its previous hearings.
Before adjourning its 15th and final hearing on Monday, June 9, Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano (Abang Lingkod Party-list) moved to lift the contempt and detention orders against five resource persons, including the Roques.
“May I respectfully move that this committee lift the contempt order for the mentioned police officers and civilian[s] that [were] cited in contempt,” he said.
The other three individuals included in Paduano’s omnibus motion are Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo, SPO4 Arthur Narsolis and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang.
The mega panel adopted the motion without objections.
“Mr. Chairman, may I respectfully move an omnibus motion for colonel Grijaldo, spouses Mylah and attorney Harry Roque, retired police PNP Arthur Narsolis, and Mr. Michael Yang,” Paduano said.
Arrest warrant out. While the contempt order has been lifted, the former presidential spokesperson already faces an arrest warrant for non-bailable human trafficking charges in relation to POGO operations.
Forty-nine others, including Ong, are also being pursued by authorities for the same charges.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has also been working on requesting the International Criminal Police Organization to issue a red notice against Harry, who is currently seeking political asylum in the Netherlands.
Roques' evasion
Harry was repeatedly cited in contempt during the congressional investigation into the illegal operations of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) for failing to submit subpoenaed financial records and for giving a false excuse for missing the August 16 hearing.
His wife, Mylah, was also cited in contempt for repeatedly snubbing the Quad Comm’s invitation and show cause order to appear at the legislative probe.
The joint committee grew suspicious of Roque’s connection to Lucky South 99 after learning he had represented the POGO’s lessor and helped facilitate its license renewal.
It also raised red flags about the financial gains of his company, Biancham Holdings and Trading, which saw an increase in assets from P125,000 in 2014 to P67.7 million in 2018.
“Despite an earlier commitment to do so, he was cited in contempt by the committee in two separate occasions. Since then, attorney Harry Roque has evaded authorities and left the country,” Paduano said in his closing remarks.
Mylah, meanwhile, was reportedly involved in a lease agreement with Chinese nationals linked to an illegal POGO operation in Bamban, Tarlac. One of Biancham’s subsidiary properties, PH2, was used to house the Chinese nationals.
What about the others?
The other individuals whose contempt and detention orders were lifted had been investigated in connection with former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war reward system, extrajudicial killings and the country’s illegal drug trade.
Grijaldo, who was detained before the order was lifted, was invited to the probe for his role as Mandaluyong City’s police chief in 2020, during the killing of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board secretary Wesley Barayuga, since no investigation was done.
He was also named by retired police colonel Royina Garma, who is currently detained in the United States and seeking asylum, as the officer who could corroborate her sworn testimony about the existence of the drug war reward system under Duterte.
Narsolis, meanwhile, was accused of ordering two detained hitmen to murder three Chinese drug suspects at the Davao Penal and Prison Farm in August 2016 — under Garma’s orders. He never appeared before the mega panel.
Yang, former economic adviser to Duterte, is a Chinese businessman implicated in several illegal activities, including the operations of POGOs and the drug trade.
He was linked to Empire 999 Realty Corporation in Mexico, Pampanga, due to his connections with the firm’s incorporators. The firm’s warehouse was involved in a P3.6 billion drug bust in 2023.
The Quad Comm has filed five bills aimed at criminalizing extrajudicial killings, prohibiting POGOs in the country, and preventing foreign nationals from circumventing local laws. It also recommended in its progress report to file charges against Duterte and his allies.
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