Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros welcomes the court’s issuance of an arrest order against former presidential spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque, Cassandra Li Ong, and other individuals due to their alleged involvement in the raided POGO hub in Pampanga.
Roque, Li Ong, and others face Qualified Human Trafficking charges in Angeles City, Pampanga Regional Trial Court (RTC).
As Chair of Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, Hontiveros led the probe on illegal operations of Pogo in the different parts of the country.
Hontiveros stated that the Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga was found to be rampant with crimes such as human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, money laundering, and more.
Roque admitted to being the lawyer of Whirlwind Corporation, which owns the land where Lucky South 99 POGO buildings stand. However, he claimed his role as a lawyer didn’t imply involvement in human trafficking.
Hontiveros insisted that Roque should be brought back to the Philippines to face the charges against him.
She emphasized that as a lawyer, Roque should have known better that what he did were against the law.
Holding them accountable will prevent them from victimizing more Filipinos, she added.
Roque who is currently in Netherlands responded, stating the issuance of the warrant of arrest against him is a form of political persecution.
This persecution, he claims, will only strengthen his petition for political asylum from the Dutch government.
Abner is an award-winning journalist. He received the prestigious 2015 Titus Brandsma Award for Community Communication in the Philippines and participated in the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States of America, sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines. Founder of WATCH NORTH COTABATO, a media-citizens’ transparency group. He worked as a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and CNN Philippines. His experience in broadcasting includes anchoring for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan and General Santos City and Brigada News TV. He anchors Tira Brigada via 105.1 Brigada News FM Manila, Mondays-Saturdays.