Former Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who is under investigation for allegedly involvement with former POGO hub Lucky South 99, may have been aided by key POGO personalities in fleeing the country, according to senior officials.
Roque, who was spokesperson for former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, confirmed in a video interview with journalists this week that he had made his way to Abu Dhabi in order to ensure a counter affidavit was lodged in response to a human trafficking complaint filed against him in relation to Lucky South 99, which was raided earlier this year. Roque has denied all charges but is also facing an arrest order for failing to supply documents to parliament that might explain his sudden increase in wealth.
The Bureau of Immigration stated earlier this week that Roque had “likely left the country via illegal means, possibly aided by unscrupulous individuals.”
“It’s impossible that he left via formal ports,” said Bureau Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado. “His name is in the BI’s Lookout Bulletin, and he is a very well-known public figure. You can spot him miles away.”
On Wednesday, senator Risa Hontiveros added that it was possible Roque’s escape was similar in nature to that of Alice Guo, the so-called “POGO Mayor”, who was arrested in Jakarata in September after being helped to flee the Philippines.
“Dubai [in UAE] is a POGO hub, so it’s possible that Pogo actors helped him escape,” Hontiveros said, as reported by the Inquirer.
“The Bureau of Immigration still has a lot of explaining to do. Even Guo Hua Ping’s escape to Indonesia, they have yet to explain how it happened.”
The Bureau, meanwhile, reiterated on Wednesday that some 10,821 foreign POGO workers have left the country since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced a ban on the industry in July.
It had previously stated that it expects around 20,000 former POGO workers to depart the country by the end of the month as the countdown to the ban becoming law gathers pace.
As reported by IAG, a total of 21,757 foreign nationals associated with POGO operations had voluntarily downgraded their work visas to temporary visitors visas as of 7 November.
