THE Supreme Court (SC) has denied the petition filed by former Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, which seeks to prevent the House of Representatives’ (HOR) quad-committee from imposing its arrest order against him amid the investigation on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) and extrajudicial killings during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement, the SC said Roque’s prayer for writ of amparo “is not the proper remedy against Congressional contempt and detention orders.”
“The scope of amparo is limited to extralegal killings and enforced disappearances, or threats thereof, which are not present in this case,” reads a portion of the SC’s statement.
In filing for a writ of amparo, Roque claimed that the HOR panel’s contempt and detention orders threatened his rights to life, liberty, and security.
He also asked the court to prohibit the quad-committee from arresting him, requiring him to attend future hearings, and compelling him to produce documents.
The court directed the panel to comment on the petition for prohibition within 10 days from receipt of the resolution.
Roque was cited for contempt by the quad-committee after he refused to submit documents to the panel’s inquiry into the possible link between the proliferation of illegal operations of Pogos, illegal drug trade, anomalous land acquisitions, and extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the Duterte administration, including his tax records and statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
He initially expressed willingness to provide the needed documents to prove his innocence from his involvement in illegal Pogo operations, but later changed his mind.
He was implicated in the Pogo controversy after he reportedly aided Cassandra Li Ong, an official of the raided illegal Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga, in paying off its six-month arrears totaling USD500,000 to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
While he denied any links to the illegal Pogo, he admitted serving as a lawyer for Whirlwind Corporation, the company leasing its Porac, Pampanga compound to the raided illegal Pogo hub, Lucky South 99. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)