Authorities in the Philippines have filed human trafficking charges against the former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. and two others for alleged involvement in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator hub.
The charges were filed on Monday by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
According to the nation’s news agency, they relate to Roque and the others’ alleged involvement in Lucky South 99 Corporation, the POGO hub raided in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque, Mercides Macabasa and Ley Tan’s charges now join those filed against Cassandra Ong and 53 others for violation of the human trafficking act.
Macabasa served as Lucky South’s security compliance officer, while Tan was the head of its accounting department.
Roque was included due to his purported “active participation in the furtherance of the illegal activity” of the POGO, according to Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) prosecutor Darwin Cañete.
Cañete cited a “statement or testimony from the assistant vice president of PAGCOR that last July 26th, respondent Roque and Cassandra Ong went to their office to have a meeting”.
The prosecutor furthers that there were alleged “follow-ups” by Roque with the PAGCOR official about the renewal of the POGO’s license.
Harry Roque Jr. has denied any involvement in POGOs.
