BARBERS TO DEFIANT “FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE” ROQUE: YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE

Defiant “fugitive from justice” former Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque appears to be acting weird and strange by mocking the Lower House’s Quad Committee instead of justifying the sudden but unexplained increase of his wealth – from P125,000 in 2016 to P125,000,000 in 2018 – which were believed to have possibly come from POGO operations. 

Cited in contempt twice and issued an arrest order by the Quadcom, Roque had stated in a recent social media post that once he is arrested, he would challenge the latter’s decision by filing a petition for habeas corpus and certiorari before the Supreme Court. 

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, designated lead chair of Quadcom and chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said that while Mr. Roque is free to seek and avail of all legal remedies available to him, he needs to get arrested first before he can file those petitions before the High Court. 

Designated Lead Chair Barbers said that as far as Mr. Roque is concerned, he is considered a fugitive from justice by defying the Quadcom’s order to place him under detention. 

Barbers added that the QuadCom welcomes whatever legal challenge he may opt to against it, but he needs to get arrested first before he can file those petitions before the Supreme Court.

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Barbers said that if Mr. Roque has nothing to hide on his possible links to POGOs, based on results of the ongoing Quadcom probe, he would not have to resort to disrespecting the panel, branding it as a “kangaroo court” and portray defiance with authorities by mouthing future legal challenge against it.

“Mr. Roque can run but he cannot hide from the law. Once arrested and files his petitions or legal remedy before the Supreme Court, the Quadcom will respect and abide with whatever decision the high court would dish out,” he said. 

Barbers explained the fugitive definition in the U.S. legal system “is any person who is hiding from law enforcement officials to avoid arrest. The fugitive meaning in most jurisdictions can mean someone who has an arrest warrant that is evading law and avoiding punishment. This is where the fugitive from justice phrase comes from.” 

Habeas corpus is a legal action or writ by means of which detainees can seek relief from unlawful imprisonment. “This means Mr. Roque can only file such petition once he is arrested and detained,” he said.

A petition for certiorari and prohibition, on the other hand, is an appropriate remedy to raise constitutional issues and to review and/or prohibit or nullify the acts of legislative and executive officials. “Mr. Roque has twice attended Quadcom’s hearings on POGOs and he was twice cited for contempt for lying and for refusal to submit vital documents (which he promised to comply with) that would prove he has no illegal activities or interests tied to POGOs,” Barbers explained. 

The solon from Mindanao earlier said Roque should be man enough to stand by his promise, that he would comply and submit the documents requested of him by the panel, instead of criticizing and dishing out his frustrations and posting them in the various social media platforms. 

Roque was implicated in the POGO controversy for reportedly accompanying and helping Cassandra Li Ong, an official of the Whirlwind and the illegal Lucky South 99 gaming firm, to pay off PAGCOR arrears totaling US$500,000. He has admitted, on record, to being a lawyer for Whirlwind, the company that is leasing its Porac compound to Lucky South 99.

Quadcom panel member Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said that as they investigate, the panel found out the sudden increase of Roque’s assets, coming from P125,000 before 2016 and has risen to P125 million in 2018. Roque served as presidential spokesperson in those period. 

“If he (Roque) will not be able to prove the legal and valid source of this sudden increase of assets of his family-owned Biancham, then there is reasonable ground to believe that indeed he is connected with POGO operations, and this money possibly came from POGO operations,” said Luistro.

The House leadership created the Quadcom, the first of its kind in the chamber’s history, to unite four House panels – Dangerous Drugs panel led by Barbers, Human Rights led by Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante, Public Order and Safety chaired by Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano and Public Accounts chaired by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez– because they are separately conducting investigations on POGOs, EJKs and illegal drugs with same resource persons and with similar or interrelated subjects. (30)