PHMANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:51 p.m.) — Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is the "legal head" of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Pampanga that authorities raided twice last month for human trafficking, torture and scams, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) on Wednesday.
PAGCOR chief Alejandro Tengco said Roque appeared before his office in July 2023 to provide legal support to a certain Cassandra Lee Ong, who sought PAGCOR's help on the financial issues of Lucky South 99, the sprawling POGO compound in Porac, Pampanga that she is the authorized representative of.
Tengco also presented the organizational chart attached to the documents submitted by Lucky South 99 for their original license application, which designated Harry Roque as "legal."
This revelation by Tengco follows his earlier promise to name the former Cabinet official under then-President Rodrigo Duterte who facilitated the issuance of licenses to îllégâl POGO hubs.
Philstar.com has reached out to Roque and will update this story with his response.
Roque extends legal help
Tengco said Roque went to his office accompanied by Ong, who documents name as the authorized representative of Lucky South 99 and whom the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has tagged as a person of interest in their investigation into the Porac hub. PAGCOR Assistant Vice President Jessa Mariz Fernandez was also present at the meeting.Ong had asked PAGCOR to allow Lucky South 99 to pay its unpaid taxes in installments, which Tengco estimated to be no less than $500,000.
Tengco said that in making her request, Ong claimed to have been duped by a certain Dennis Cunanan, who allegedly collected six months' worth of tax payments on behalf of Ong but did not remit them to PAGCOR. Cunanan also allegedly charged them additional fees.
"Sabi ko sakanya, ano ba ang inyong pakay dito? Nakikiusap sila kung pwedeng bigyan sila ng pagkakataon mabayaran yung arrears (I asked her, 'What is your purpose here?' They were pleading for a chance to pay off their arrears)," the PAGCOR chief said.
Tengco said his conversations with Roque at the meeting were "very light."
"Hindi siya namwemwersa. Nakikiusap siya. (He's not demanding. He's just asking)," the PAGCOR chief said. "Hindi naman nya ako prinepressure. Pero bilang abogado siguro, nagfafacilitate at sinamahan nya kliyente niya. Sinamahan niya lang. (He didn't pressure me. But as a lawyer, he probably facilitated and accompanied his client. He just accompanied them.)"
After the meeting, Roque reached out to Fernandez at least six more times regarding the status of Lucky South 99's reapplication for license, which was filed in September 2023, the PAGCOR assistance vice president said.
Tengco explained that there were several missing documents in Lucky South 99's reapplication, which also sought to triple the area covered by the compound from 3,000 square meters to 9,000 square meters. Their application was eventually rejected.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate women and gender equality committee, said that Roque and former PAGCOR chief Andrea Domingo would be invited to the panel's next hearing.
A letter dated 2021 that bore the name of Roque and the letterhead of the Office of the President was recovered during authorities’ raid of Lucky South 99 in June.
The former presidential spokesperson denied any connection to the document, which the PAOCC said was not suspicious or criminal in nature.
Roque previously served as a lawyer for Whirlwind Corp., the company that leased its property to Lucky South 99.