PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco has named former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque as the man who allegedly lobbied for a POGO operation later raided by authorities.
Speaking at a Senate inquiry into the Philippines’ offshore gaming industry – whose participants were for many years known as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) – Tengco said that Roque and another representative of then-POGO operator Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga had visited his office in July 2023 to discuss unpaid fees totaling US$500,000.
As reported by the Inquirer, it was alleged by the pair that Lucky South 99 had been giving taxes due to its authorized representative Dennis Cunanan – a man since convicted of graft on other matters – but that Cunanan had failed to make those payments to PAGCOR.
While Tengco said Roque never asked PAGCOR to solve the issue of the missing US$500,000, he did allege he asked for a reapplication of the POGO’s license ahead of its October 2023 expiry.
“It turned out that [Roque] is the legal head in the organizational chart submitted for reapplication by the company,” Tengco is reported as saying.
Lucky South 99 was raided last month amid reports that its 5.8-hectare compound was being used as a base for human trafficking and other illegal activity.
In a statement following Tengco’s testimony, Roque strongly refuted the claims that he had acted as counsel for Lucky South 99 or any other illegal POGOs.
“As clearly stated by PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco in today’s Senate hearing, I requested a rescheduling of arrears payment of a lessee and principal of my client Whirlwind Corporation,” Roque said.
“My client is a service provider to Lucky South, then a holder of a valid license from PAGCOR.
“I clarify that I did not consent to nor was I informed of my name’s inclusion in any submission by Lucky South with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) concerning license renewal.”
Roque is set to be invited to give testimony of his own to the next Senate inquiry into POGOs.
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