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Harry Roque expedited illegal POGO
By J.Lo
“Former secretary Harry Roque came with woman and he introduced us… he said Ms. Cassandra Lee Ong has problem about her paying all billings of company she represents in PAGCOR,” Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) chairman Alejandro Tengco recalled former presidential spokesman Harry Roque was ex-Cabinet official who tried to facilitate grant of license to Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub.
During continuation of public hearing of Senate committee on women, children and family affairs chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Tengco clarified Roque did not exert pressure, but merely assisted in dealings of Lucky South 99 POGO with PAGCOR in July last year.
Tengco said Roque and Lucky South 99 representative Cassandra Lee Ong met with him and Jessa Mariz Fernandez, PAGCOR assistant vice president for offshore gaming licensing department, on July 26, 2023.
Hontiveros said Roque and former PAGCOR chair Andrea Domingo will be invited to next hearing to shed light on information shared by Tengco.
Tengco said Ong claimed their company owed over $500,000 about P29 million in arrears but their company had been coursing their financial obligations through Dennis Cunanan as authorized company representative.
“Ong claimed she gives money to Mr. Dennis Cunanan every month and she believes that it is paid to PAGCOR…so they were surprised when their office said that they have arrears of six months… about $500,000,” he stressed.
Tengco asked Ong why she trusted Cunanan instead of going directly to Landbank to settle their account with PAGCOR, to which Ong claimed she trusted Cunanan as he facilitated license of their company. Tengco said Ong was just 19 years old and too young to represent the company.
Tengco’s statement appeared to be short of his statement that former high-ranking official of previous administration lobbied for licensing of illegal POGO in Porac.
At yesterday’s hearing, Tengco maintained Roque did not pressure PAGCOR to grant Lucky South 99 license.
“He requested us to assist Cassandra Ong, if possible…he did not make any follow-up, I will repeat it, he didn’t pressure me…well, maybe as lawyer as his client…he is just facilitating and he was just requesting,” said Tengco.
Fernandez also told Senate panel that Roque called her office six times and one of them was to ask for documents needed for POGO hub to be granted license.
“He made six contacts … three were answered, two were not answered and one text message..and then on May 14, 2024, I informed him of PAGCOR decision denying Lucky South’s application because we have seen evidence of reason not to grant them license at that time,” said Fernandez.
Hontiveros said Roque contradicted his statement to media that he represented only Whirlwind, company that leased its property to Lucky South 99.
“This is contrary to what he said, his representation is just Whirlwind…but here in the organization chart of Lucky South 99, it’s clear he was legal counsel… he did not tell the truth to the media,” she said.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada asked Tengco whether Roque was just doing his job as lawyer, to which PAGCOR chairman replied: “you can say that…he said he wants to help aggrieved party as Miss Ong’s lawyer…and new application came out in September 2023, that’s the legal one.”
Roque vehemently denied Tengco’s statements that he represented an illegal POGO.
“I am not and have never been legal counsel to any illegal POGO…neither was I counsel to Lucky South 99 Incorporated… I also did not participate in preparing Lucky South’s organizational chart, identified me as their legal counsel… I vehemently deny media reports claiming that PAGCOR chairman Alejandro Tengco allegedly said that I represented an illegal POGO,” Roque said on his Facebook vlog.
Roque also said Hontiveros’ conclusion that he lied when he claimed that he was Whirlwind’s counsel was bereft of merit.
“I clarify that I did not consent to nor was I informed of my name’s inclusion in any submission by Lucky South with PAGCOR concerning license renewal…if her only basis is organizational chart naming me as legal counsel of Lucky South 99, then I challenge her to prove that I had direct hand in preparing said document,” Roque stressed.
Roque said Whirlwind recently retained his firm to quash search warrant in residential dwelling in Porac mistakenly described as “resort” by police authorities.
“I have no reason to deny my legal engagement with Lucky South if there is truth to it…providing legal representation is why legal profession exists…but the reality is that attorney-client relationship is of highest fiduciary relationship and cannot be presumed unless there is clear retainer between counsel and client…as lawyer, I could not directly engage with POGO because of potential conflict of interest and given soured lease contract between Whirlwind and Lucky South,” he noted.
Bank documents of the former presidential spokesman were found inside Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said.
PAOCC spokesman Winston Casio showed reporters pictures of some documents they recovered during raid at POGO hub last month. Among these are bank transaction receipts.
Also found are documents belonging to person whom authorities said was Roque’s former executive assistant.
PAOCC made documents public after PAGCOR’s Tengco said Roque assisted Lucky South 99 on its financial issues.
An incorporator of POGO company is connected with equally controversial Pharmally firm linked to overpriced COVID-19 supplies, Hontiveros said.
During continuation of public hearing probing alleged human trafficking in Clark, Hontiveros said certain Gerald Cruz, incorporator of BreakHearts Technology, is connected with Pharmally Biological.
“BreakHearts Technology Inc., used to be service provider, we dug deeper and we looked at its incorporators. ..of seven incorporators, four are from Davao…but what really interests me here is Gerald Cruz…did Cruz appear in PAGCOR’s investigation?” Hontiveros asked Fernandez.
On Powerpoint Hontiveros showed Cruz’s connection with Pharmally.
“Cruz was also connected to Pharmally Biological; we are exclaiming, ‘oh my God….with Huang Su Yen, involved in big money laundering case in Taiwan, and with Allan Lim…for those who may have forgotten, Allan Lim is Lyn Wei Ziong, connected or linked to importation of shabu in the country…has this connection been noted by PAGCOR?” the senator asked.
Fernandez noted Cruz’s connection with Pharmally just recently. Pharmally scandal involved alleged P42-billion corruption in government procurement of COVID-19 supplies in August 2021.
Hontiveros noted that Cruz is also involved in FullWin, of which Michael Yang is the president. Yang served as economic adviser during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte
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