The House Quad Comm on Wednesday called on former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to surrender to the panel after the Supreme Court (SC) voided his only legal recourse against the committee’s detention order.
Reps. Dan Fernandez of Sta Rosa City and Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte made the call following the SC’s denial of Roque’s petition for a writ of amparo, a protective writ he applied to escape detention as the Quad Comm investigates his involvement in the illegal activities of POGOs.
Fernandez, who chairs the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, said, “Sumuko ka na, Atty. Roque (Please surrender Atty. Roque),” saying the latter’s attempts to evade justice and avoid accountability through legal maneuvers have become futile.
“This is not the time to sneak around and make excuses. Atty. Roque should face the music and answer the allegations in the proper forum. The law must prevail. Roque should not hide himself behind technicalities or writs that have no basis),” Fernandez said, stressing that Roque’s rights have not been violated as the SC itself confirmed.
Barbers, the overall chair of the Quad Comm, urged Roque to heed the rule of law and cooperate with the ongoing investigation, which has uncovered alarming connections between POGOs and other illicit activities, including illegal drug syndicates and extrajudicial killings.
“The Quad Committee is uncovering layers of criminal activities tied to POGOs, and we need full transparency from everyone involved,” Barbers, who also chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said.
“If Atty. Roque has nothing to hide, why is he hiding? The public deserves to know the truth,” Barbers added.
The Quad Comm is investigating the links between POGO, the proliferation of the illicit drug trade, land grabbing by certain Chinese nationals, and the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) associated with the Duterte administration’s brutal war on drugs.
Other Quad Comm co-chairs are Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, who chairs the House Committee on Human Rights, and Abang Lingkod Partylist Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, who chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts.
Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop is the vice chair of all four panels and the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation.
The SC decision, handed down on October 1, clarified that the writ of amparo is intended for cases of extrajudicial killings or enforced disappearances, situations that do not apply in Roque’s case.
In light of Roque’s repeated attempts to deflect accountability, Fernandez stressed the need for individuals in positions of power or influence to set a good example.
Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur meanwhile welcomed the SC’s decision denying Roque’s petition for a writ of amparo.
“The decision reaffirms the independence and authority of Congress to conduct legislative inquiries, free from external interference. As a co-equal branch of government, Congress holds the exclusive power to investigate matters within its jurisdiction, ensuring that its constitutional mandate is upheld,” he said.
Adiong said the High Court ruling also underscores the fundamental role of Congress in exercising its legislative powers, particularly in conducting inquiries in aid of legislation.
He defended the House QuadComm’s ongoing investigation, noting that such inquiries are vital to ensuring transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of truth.
