Harry Roque l(Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. has advised "fugitive” lawyer Harry Roque to be brave enough to face the consequences of his own actions. 

Abante had this to say during the eighth marathon House quad-committee (quad-comm) hearing Friday, Oct. 11. 

The Manila solon is a co-chairman of the mega-panel, which has been looking into the alleged interconnected issues of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), extrajudicial killings (EJKs), money laundering, and the Duterte drug war. 

Abante, who is a pastor-preacher, says the crimes the quad-omm is investigating “have resulted in the loss of life,” in addition to “financial gain” on the part of those behind such illicit activities. 

“I cannot fathom how those who have enriched themselves at the cost of the suffering of others can live with themselves knowing that their fortunes are built on the blood of their fellow citizens; how they can live lavishly knowing that their money is blood money,” he said. 

“To these people and to those still in hiding, like Atty. Harry Roque, I say this: Have the courage to face the consequences of your actions. It is better to stand and be judged than to live in the shadow of your wrongdoings,” said Abante. 

Roque, an ex-Palace spokesperson under former president Rodrigo Duterte, is a key personality in the inquiry on the POGO issue. 

Abante warned Roque: “Maniwala po kayo (Believe me), justice will catch up to you sooner or later. It is not a matter of if, but when. As we have always said, the time of reckoning has come.” 

In particular, Roque has been linked to the illegal POGO hub padlocked by the authorities in Porac, Pampanga, and to a house in Benguet rented by a Chinese fugitive and two Chinese POGO workers. 

Roque served as counsel for Cassandra Ong, owner of the Porac POGO complex. She is under House custody. 

Last month, the quad-comm cited Roque for contempt a second time and ordered his arrest. Instead of surfacing, he chose to go into hiding.

Arrest order vs Roque’s wife 

During Friday's hearing, the quad-comm led by overall chairman Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers issued an arrest order against lawyer Roque's wife, Mylah, after she once again failed to attend the proceedings. 

Mylah has apparently been invited to the hearings at least thrice, but has never appeared. 

Mylah, a former trustee of Pag-IBIG Fund representing private employers, is implicated in signing a lease agreement with Chinese nationals tied to an illegal POGO in Bamban, Tarlac. 

The Chinese nationals were arrested in July during a raid in Benguet on a property owned by PH2, a subsidiary of the Roque family’s Biancham Holdings. 

Roque was earlier cited for contempt after refusing to submit critical documents, including his tax records and statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth or SALN. 

The mega panel—composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts—has uncovered “overwhelming circumstantial evidence” tying Roque to Lucky South 99, a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, raided in June. 

The raid revealed a laundry list of criminal activities, including human trafficking, torture, prostitution, scam farms, and a porn operation. 

Roque’s wealth reportedly ballooned during the POGO boom under former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration, heightening suspicions of his deeper involvement in the illegal operations.