A clear and present danger to our national security and sovereignty.
Brought no less by people we gave our trust to protect our nation, but instead conspired and co-opted.
POGO was legitimised and legalised under the previous Duterte Administration.
Both Rodrigo Duterte and Harry Roque defended POGO despite the warnings of Chinese President Xi JinPing and knowing the implications on our country on national security, crime, and our Filipino values.
In a clear reflection of encroachment by the former President on the powers of Congress, he created EO 13. He later declared: “ POGO is clean”.
This POGO facilities in Bamban, Tarlac was owned by Whirlwind Corporation, which was found to be engaged in illegal activities.
When the facility was posthaste raided by the authorities, they found incriminating evidences linking former Duterte Administration Spokesperson Harry Roque as its Legal Representative.
Harry Roque would soon vehemently deny that he is linked to Whirlwind Corporation. This despite a legal document stating that he is the Legal Representative. A clear link was also established when AR Dela Serna who was an Executive Assistant previously employed under his office and who was found to have kept himself a room in the facilities raided, which was also denied as nothing but coincidental.
In the earlier and still unfinished Congressional inquiry where Harry Roque was the subject of investigation, it was learned through skillful questioning by the Congressional Panel, that Harry Roque accompanied the representative of Whirlwind Corporation, Cassandra Li Ong to the office of PAGCOR Chairman, Al Tengco to help facilitate the renewal license of Whirlwind Corporation.
In a point blank questioning by the Congressmen, Harry Roque was pinned down and confirmed- he was representing Whirlwind Corporation in his capacity as a Legal Representative. It was also established that he was involved with Lucky South 99 involving a few other important personalities. His statements in a separate enquiry at the Senate, Harry Roque denied the same when questioned.
He was also pinned down under questioning and would confirm to Congress that he owned the property in Baguio that was raided by authorities and found alien personalities involved in illegal activities and a fugitive by another country. He had prior associations with one of them.
He lied. He continues to lie. Harry
Roque is now under formal investigation by PAOCC as a ‘person of interest’.
We noted earlier that Harry Roque contributed the second highest for the candidacy of VP Sara Duterte with a whopping P36 million, putting to question the sources to his income.
Recently, Harry Roque was put under Immigration Bulletin Lookout Order by the DOJ, along with 11 other personalities.
So, the Filipinos ask the important questions:
- Who really is Harry Roque in the world of POGO?
- Where did all his monies and properties come from?
- Will this ultimately lead back to Rodrigo Duterte?
- What must we learn from the kind of leadership and governance under former President Rodrigo Duterte?