SURRENDER
THE House Quad Comm on Tuesday called on former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to surrender to the panel after the Supreme Court voided his only legal recourse against the committee’s detention order.
Sta. Rosa City Representative Dan Fernandez and Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers made the call following the SC’s denial of Roque’s, the illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) person-of-interest, petition for a writ of amparo, a protective writ he applied to escape detention as the Quad Comm investigates his involvement in the illegal activities of POGOs.
Fernandez, who chairs the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, said: “Sumuko ka na, Atty. Roque,” saying the latter’s attempts to evade justice and avoid accountability through legal maneuvers have become futile. Hindi na ito ang panahon para magpalusot. Atty. Roque should face the music and answer the allegations in the proper forum. Ang batas ang dapat manaig. Hindi dapat itago ni Roque ang kanyang sarili sa likod ng mga technicalities o mga writ na wala namang basehan.”
Fernandez stressed that Roque’s rights have not been violated as the Supreme Court itself confirmed.
Barbers, the overall chair of the Quad Comm, urged Roque to heed the rule of law and cooperate with the ongoing investigation, which has uncovered alarming connections between POGOs and other illicit activities, including illegal drug syndicates and extrajudicial killings.
“The Quad Committee is uncovering layers of criminal activities tied to POGOs, and we need full transparency from everyone involved,” Barbers said.
“Kung walang itinatago si Atty. Roque, bakit siya nagtatago? The public deserves to know the truth,” Barbers added.
The Quad Comm is investigating the links between POGO, the proliferation of the illicit drug trade, land grabbing by certain Chinese nationals, and the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) associated with the Duterte administration’s brutal war on drugs.
Other Quad Comm co-chairs are Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, and Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano.
Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop is the vice chair of all four panels and the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation.
