The House Quad Comm on Monday lifted contempt and detention orders against the former associates of then President Rodrigo Duterte as it wrapped up its months-long hearings into his war on drugs, the illegal offshore gaming operations, and other interrelated issues.
Those covered by the order include former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, his wife Mylah, former presidential adviser Michael Yang, and two others in a motion made by Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, one of the Quad Comm co-chairpersons.
“There is a motion to lift the contempt order… and it was duly seconded. Are there any objections? Hearing none, the motion is approved,” declared Quad Comm lead chair Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers during their 15th and final session.
The mega-panel—composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts—also lifted contempt and detention orders against Police Col. Hector Grijaldo and Senior Police Officer 4 Arthur Narsolis.
Roque had twice been cited for contempt in 2024—first for allegedly giving false testimony linked to Cassandra Ong, a POGO representative, and later for refusing to submit documents related to POGO operations. He was briefly detained, then released upon compliance.
He now faces an arrest warrant for qualified human trafficking tied to Lucky South 99, a POGO hub raided in Porac, Pampanga. Police are preparing to serve the warrant while Roque is seeking asylum in the Netherlands.
His wife, Mylah, was subpoenaed several times over her reported role in acquiring properties associated with the POGO hub. The contempt order against her was lifted along with Roque’s as the committee wrapped up its proceedings.
Yang, who once served as former President Duterte’s economic adviser, was subpoenaed in 2024 over a P3.6-billion drug bust in Mexico, Pampanga, and illegal POGO operations.
He was linked to Empire 999 Realty Corp. and several Chinese-led enterprises allegedly used as fronts for shabu trafficking.
The arrest of Yang’s brother Tony in Cagayan de Oro City last year exposed warehouses allegedly used for both POGO and drug smuggling, prompting lawmakers to describe Yang as the “central figure” in a syndicate linking offshore gaming and narcotics.
Grijaldo had been detained at the House since December 2024 for repeatedly ignoring subpoenas in hearings on EJKs during Duterte’s drug war. His release came Monday following the formal lifting of the contempt and detention orders.
Narsolis, who allegedly ordered two hitmen to kill three Chinese drug suspects at the Davao Penal and Prison Farm in August 2016, had been cited for contempt after repeatedly skipping committee hearings. He remained at large and never appeared before the panel.
Witnesses claimed he carried out the operation at the behest of retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma.
Committee records suggest Garma instructed Narsolis to “eliminate” the suspects with the latter acting under her influence.
With the committee’s contempt powers lifted, its findings were consolidated into a final report for legislative recommendations and possible prosecutorial action.