📷Atty. Harry Roque
FORMER Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque seemed to know the people behind the illegal POGO operators behind Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Incorporated based on a letter that was recovered by the letter Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) from the files left behind in one of the 27 buildings in Barangay Santa Cruz, Porac, Pampanga.
No less than PAOCC spokesperson Winton Casio said that the document which had Roque’s signature was a letter from his executive assistant who was seeking “travel support to Poland.
However, Casio admits the documents bearing Roque’s signatures “has no criminal value” insofar as the ongoing investigation is concerned.
“His (Roque) former executive assistant was applying for a Shengen visa,” Casio said when asked to elaborate on its content.
“On face value, it has no criminal value to our investigation,” the PAOCC mouthpiece added.
“I wouldn’t want to impute malice on Atty. Roque because it would be unfair for Atty. Roque at this point.”
Roque for his part admitted he recalled the letter he signed but insisted that those documents were owned by his former long-time employee who is now studying in Clark which is less than 30 kilometers away from the POGO hub that was raided twice by the combined elements of the PAOCC, the Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine National Police.
PAOCC is investigating the officers, the incorporators of Lucky South 99, while monitoring 50 other POGO hubs in the country amid reports that its operation goes beyond gaming.
“But, if Mr. Roque is lawyering for them, that constitutes suspicious activity,” Casio continued.
Meanwhile, an inter-agency task force would be convening next week to decide on what charges would be filed against several local officials who may have been complicit in the illegal operations of these Chinese companies in different parts of the country.
When asked whether PAOCC would recommend banning POGO in the country, Casio said he wouldn’t know. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
