Harry Roque submits counter-affidavit notarized in Abu Dhabi

The camp of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday submitted a counter-affidavit that was notarized in Abu Dhabi, Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said.

Fadullon said the counter-affidavit on the qualified trafficking complaint filed against Roque before the Department of Justice (DOJ) was subscribed in Abu Dhabi on November 29.

“A counter-affidavit was submitted by the lawyers of Harry Roque. It would appear that he had a document which was notarized, pero doon siya sa Abu Dhabi,” he said. 

He issued the remark following the preliminary probe on the qualified trafficking complaint filed against Cassandra Li Ong, authorized representative of POGO firm Lucky South 99, Roque, and others.

According to Fadullon, they will hold a clarificatory hearing to confirm Roque’s whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Roque confirmed that he notarized his counter-affidavit in Abu Dhabi.

Roque, however, said he is no longer there.

“I’m no longer in Abu Dhabi. I went to Abu Dhabi para ma-subscribe ‘yan but I’m no longer in Abu  Dhabi,” he said in a separate Zoom briefing.

Despite this, he said he has yet to return to the Philippines

“I am still outside the country,” he said.

Roque also said that he will not attend the clarificatory hearing.

“Kung gusto nilang ma-verify na ako ay sumipot, tawagan po nila ‘yung consul na nag-notarize at tawagan din nila si Ambassador Ver na personally present nung ako ay nanumpa,” he said.

(If they want to verify that I showed up, they can call the consul that notarized it and they can call Ambassador Ver who was personally present.)

“Pero wala po sa rules na kinakailangan ako’y magpakita dahil ang rules specify that I should take an oath before a government personnel na may kapangyarihan na magbigay ng oath,” he added. 

(Nothing in the rules state that I need to appear before them. The rules specify that I should take an oath before a government personnel who can take my oath.)

In September, the House Quad Committee cited Roque in contempt and ordered his detention after he refused to submit documents that will supposedly justify his increased wealth.

An Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order was also issued against Roque and 11 others in August.

Meanwhile, Fadullon said the DOJ will also coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration regarding Roque’s flight records.

“Yes, that’s something that we can look into just to find out, officially, when it is that he was able to leave the country, and if he did in fact leave the country,” he said.  

Counter-affidavit

Meanwhile, citing his counter-affidavit, Roque said there was no allegation that he recruited anyone through fear or intimidation to take advantage of them.

“Dalawang bagay lang po ang naging basehan ng CIDG at ng PAOCC para ako ay sampahan ng reklamo. ‘Yung pagsama ko kay Cassie Ong sa PAGCOR… at saka ‘yung papel na nagpapakita na ako diumano ay legal counsel,” he said.

(The CIDG and PAOCC based the complaint on only two things. When I accompanied Cassie Ong to PAGCOR… and the document that allegedly showed that I am the firm’s legal counsel.) 

Roque said that during the time of the meeting, the Lucky South 99 was a legal firm and had a license. He also denied that he is a legal counsel of the POGO firm.

“Ganoon pa man, kung ako ay legal counsel na hindi ko naman talaga inaamin at tinatanggi ko ‘yan, pinapa sinungalingan ko yan, ang katotohanan ay pagiging abogado ay hindi krimen,” Roque said.

(Even so, even if I am the legal counsel and I am denying this, the truth is that being a lawyer is not a crime.) 

In a statement, Roque said he asked the DOJ to dismiss the complaint against him, saying he was included as a “mere afterthought.”

"My inclusion, as well as the inclusion of Whirlwind Corporation and Lucky South 99 Outsourcing, Inc. were mere afterthoughts,” he said.

“The inclusion of the two corporations was intended to cure the deficiency of the evidence presented both in the original complaint and the supplemental complaint affidavit that utterly failed to identify any overt act of trafficking or qualified human trafficking that will implicate me," he added.

Meanwhile, Ong submitted her counter-affidavit last week, where she asked the DOJ to dismiss it..—AOL, GMA Integrated News