Roque denies ownership of raided house in Benguet

FORMER Palace spokesman Harry Roque has denied he owns the house in an exclusive subdivision in Tuba, Benguet, which was raided by law enforcers over the weekend amid reports that a Chinese fugitive was hiding there.

Roque on Monday appeared at the Senate inquiry on the alleged human trafficking in some POGO hubs, particularly the one in Bamban, Tarlac, that was raided earlier.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chairman of the panel doing the inquiry, invited Roque to the public hearing after Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chairman Alejandro Tengco mentioned that he once asked Pagcor to assist a POGO executive with her tax payment issues.

Former Palace spokesman Harry Roque

Bureau of Immigration Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said they arrested a Cambodian and a Chinese man connected to the POGO hub in Tarlac during the Benguet raid.

Roque told senators during the fifth public hearing of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality that he stayed in the house after his stint in the government.

But the residence in question is registered to a corporation, he said. «I do have an interest in the corporation that owns it, but the house is not in my possession,» Roque said.

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«As of January 2024, the house was leased by a Chinese who has a 9G working visa, meaning she has a right to be in the Philippines,» he said.

In a later statement, Roque said he «did not intercede on behalf of an illegal POGO since Lucky South had a legal license until May 22, 2024. My discussion with the Pagcor chairman centered on the rescheduling of Lucky South's arrears payment.»

He added that as of July 26, 2023, Dennis Cunanan, former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center deputy director, was still the registered representative of Lucky South to Pagcor. «He was an independent contractor who was neither a Lucky South stockholder nor an officer [therein].»

Cunanan, who failed to attend the previous hearings, was also present at the inquiry.

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He said he was represented by his lawyer in the first hearing and did not receive the subpoena issued to him. He also confirmed that he was hired as a consultant for three POGOs.

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