Harry Roque invokes right to travel, Risa notes admission of 'flight'

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has invoked his right to travel after Senator Risa Hontiveros inquired about his whereabouts in a recent Senate hearing.

"For the record, there is no warrant of arrest issued against me. Flight from a congressional contempt, I wish to underscore, cannot be the evidence of anything. As DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said, I am being pursued not as a criminal or fugitive but as a resource person," Roque said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

"Having said this, I have no hold departure order and have the right to travel. Mahirap ba itong intindihin, Senator Risa (Is this difficult to understand, Senator Risa)?" he added.

Roque accused Hontiveros of calling a Senate hearing so the senator's name "won't be buried amid the noise of the elections."

Responding to this, Hontiveros noted Roque's admission of "flight from congressional contempt" which she said is a violation of the Revised Penal Code.

"Travel lang ba talaga 'yang ginagawa ni Atty. Harry Roque, o paglabag na sa batas ng Pilipinas? Hindi ba pagtakas iyan?" Hontiveros said in a statement.

(Is what Atty. Harry Roque doing merely travel, or in violation of Philippine laws? Isn't that escape?)

"In his own words, he explains his extended disappearance as 'flight from a congressional contempt.' That is a clear admission of his liability for the crime of disobedience to summons by Congress under Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code," she added.

For Hontiveros, it is "extremely ironic" that Roque is talking about his right to travel, when the Bureau of Immigration said it is studying the filing of cases against him for leaving the country via illegal means.

This, she said, is on top of the qualified human trafficking complaint that Roque is already facing in connection to his alleged ties to the "massive, crime-ridden POGO complex" in Porac, Pampanga.

"Ayon nga sa BI, malamang ay gumamit si Roque ng falsified immigration clearances para makapasok sa iba't-ibang bansa, o di kaya ay tinutulungan ng masasamang indibidwal," Hontiveros said.

"Kung talagang travel lang 'yan, bakit iligal ang pag-alis mo sa bansa—at bakit ayaw mo nang bumalik dito, Harry Roque?" she said.

(If that's just travel, why did you leave the country illegally—and why don't you come back here, Harry Roque?)

In a Senate justice and human rights subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, the BI reported that Roque attempted to fly to the United States but was barred from continuing his travel after arriving in Japan.

At the same hearing, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) reported that Roque traveled from Zamboanga to Tawi-tawi in September last year.

"Our agency was able to monitor Harry Roque's travel from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi on September 2, 2024 at around 9:30 in the morning, taking PR2485. After po doon, titingnan natin from Tawi-Tawi wala na po kaming narinig (We were looking at Tawi-Tawi after that, but we did not hear anything)," NICA Director Ferlu Silvio said.

Roque has been missing since his name was implicated in the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country, particularly his alleged involvement in Lucky South 99, the raided POGO firm in Porac, Pampanga.

Roque was also cited in contempt and ordered detained by the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) on September 13 after he refused to submit documents that would supposedly explain his increased wealth.

The former spokesperson of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte has accused Congress of "power tripping" following the contempt and arrest orders issued against him due to his alleged link to illegal operations of POGO. — VDV, GMA Integrated News