Panel chides Roque on 'kangaroo court'

THE House of Representatives Quad Committee chided former presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. for calling the panel a «kangaroo court» after it cited him in contempt for repeatedly snubbing hearings.

The panel, composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Accounts, Human Rights, and Public Order and Safety, was investigating the involvement of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in various crimes, including illegal ownership of lands by Chinese nationals.

Roque was unable to submit documents requested by the panel, including the deed of sale of a 1.8-hectare property in Parañaque, his income tax return, statements of assets and liabilities, as well as bank statements stating his net worth from 2016 to 2022.

Quad Committee overall chairman and Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said on Friday that Roque remained a key personality in the ongoing investigation on illegal POGOs.

Barbers added it was odd that Roque volunteered to submit documents to the panel and then later invoked his right not to do so.

«He was slandering the Quad Comm in social media, and we will not take it sitting down,» he said.

Barbers added circumstantial evidence that pointed to Roque's links to Lucky South 99, an illegal POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.

«During this period, we saw that his net worth increased; therefore, the bigger net worth must be explained since he was a government official during that time… We think he benefited from Lucky South 99; that's why his net worth increased,» Barbers said.