Quad Comm to Harry Roque’s wife: Heed show cause order or be cited in contempt 

Four House of Representatives committees or the “quad committee” warned the wife of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque of possible contempt citation if she fails to comply with the lower chamber’s show cause order.

“Pwede naman siya pumunta at magsabi na ‘I refuse to answer’ dahil ma self-incriminate siya…Kung di siya pupunta, isa ‘yan sa pinakamabigat sa rules namin na pwede siyang ma-cite in contempt, for not respecting our invitation,” said Antipolo 2nd district Representative Romeo Acop, quad comm vice chairperson.

(She could have attended the hearing and just said ‘I refuse to answer’ because she could be self-incriminated ... .If she will never attend, she could be cited in contempt for refusing our invitation.) 

“If the quad committee schedules a hearing and she does not show up despite the invitation, we will issue an order to cite her in contempt,” he added. 

The quad comm earlier issued a show cause order against Mylah Roque for failing to show up in the House inquiry on the couple’s alleged involvement in the operations of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

She instead informed the committee through a letter that she was undergoing medical treatment in Singapore. But she claimed that the quad comm "refused to accept her medical certificates."

Mylah also called out Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Ace Barbers, who chairs the quad comm, for being “an abusive individual” for linking her to illegal POGOs. 

His husband Harry was earlier cited in contempt and ordered detained by the quad committee last September 13 after he refused to submit documents that would supposedly justify his increased wealth.

Harry initially agreed to submit documents that would explain the increase of his assets under his family’s Biancham Holdings and Trading from P125,000 in 2014, to P3.125 million in 2015, and P67.7 million in 2018.—Vince Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News