Roque admits ties to Benguet house where 2 POGO-linked foreigners were arrested

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday admitted being an incorporator of a company that owns the residential house in Tuba, Benguet where two foreigners believed to be linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) were arrested.

Roque, however, emphasized that the residential house was leased to a Chinese national named Huan Yun, whom he tagged as a "legal resident of the Philippines" for possessing an alien certificate of registration and a 9G or pre-arranged working visa.

"Ang bahay po na tinutukoy niyo sa Tuba, Benguet ay rehistrado sa isang korporasyon. Tinirhan ko po 'yan nu'ng ako ay umalis ng gobyerno and I do have an interest in the corporation that owns its," Roque said at a Senate hearing on illegal POGOs.

"Pero wala po sa akin ang possession ng bahay na 'yan dahil as of January of 2024, 'yan po ay pinaupahan ng korporasyon at ang umuupa po ay isang Huan Yun na isang Chinese national na nu'ng siya po ay pumirma ng contract of lease ay rinequire siya na magpakita ng Alien Certificate of Registration at lumalabas po na siya ay holder ng isang 9G working visa. Meaning, she has the right to be in the Philippines," he added.

(The house you were referring to in Tuba, Benguet is registered to a corporation. I lived there when I left the government and I do have an interest in the corporation that owns it. But I do not currently live there because as of January 2024 it is being leased to a Huan Yun, a Chinese national, by the corporation. When she signed the contract of lease, she was required to present an Alien Certificate of Registration. She is also a holder of 9G working visa.)

According to Roque, Huan Yun is a "registered lessee" and is "registered with the homeowners association" so she can enter the subdivision.

Roque then cried foul over "concerted efforts" to link him to POGO operations.

"Kaya nga po nung sinabi nila na sinalakay ang bahay ko at may mga wanted na mga POGO bosses don ay ako po ay talagang nag-conclude na meron talagang pilit na naninira sa akin," he said.

(That's why when they said that my house was raided and there were wanted POGO bosses there, I concluded that there is a concerted effort against me.) 

"Gaya ng naunang release na ng PAGCOR na ako raw ay naglakad para sa lisensya ng isang ilegal ng PAGCOR at matapos naman marinig ang testimonya ni Chairman Al Tengco, wala namang ganong sinabi si Mr. Al Tengco," he added.

(Like when PAGCOR said I helped secure a license for an illegal POGO then I heard Chairman Al Tengco testify to the contrary.)

The former presidential spokesperson then asked if the persons whom the authorities were looking for due to their alleged ties in the raided POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac, were indeed found in the residence in Tuba, Benguet.

"Ang gusto ko nga po malaman ay kung nakita nila dun sa bahay na 'yun 'yung taong hinahanap nila na allegedly may tie sa Bamban. Kung di naman po kami nagkakamali, again as part of due diligence, 'yung isang lalaking nahuli diyan is a partner of the lessee," Roque said.

(What I want to know is if they found in that house the person they were really looking for, the one who has allegedly ties with the Bamban POGO. If I'm not mistaken one of those arrested is the partner of the lessee.)

Citing his caretaker's account, Roque said the man who was arrested in the residence in Benguet is a "gentleman of leisure" and only goes out of the house to play golf in a nearby golf course.

According to Roque, the man in the said residence informed him that he is a "digital nomad" and involved in cryptocurrency.

"So nais ko po talagang malaman kung ano 'yung ebidensya na 'yung lalaking 'yon ay involved sa Bamban dahil kung hindi naman po, eh talagang meron pong concerted effort na i-link ako dito sa mga POGO na akin namang tinatanggi po," Roque said.

(So I want to know what are the evidence that that guy is involved in the Bamban POGO, because if there wasn't any, then there is really a concerted effort to link me to these POGOs, which I deny.)

Speaking at the same hearing, Bureau of Immigration's Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the two foreign nationals who were arrested in their operation last Friday in Benguet were a female Chinese national and a male Cambodian national.

These target subjects were "involved in the Bamban raid a few months ago," Manahan said.

Manahan, however, said they have no personal knowledge of who owns the house that was raided in Tuba, Benguet.

The BI operation was in coordination with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.

Before the Senate hearing ended, Hontiveros, citing sources, said that the arrested in Benguet was a Chinese fugitive holding a fake Cambodian passport.

"One of those apprehended in the Tuba, Benguet home is actually a wanted fugitive in China. The Cambodian passport held by the man is fake," Hontiveros said.

"He's really Chinese and as per our Chinese informant, he's a red notice fugitive, very high-level, and he has already defrauded 100,000 people. So, napakasama po ng record ng tao na yan," she added. —KBK/NB, GMA Integrated News