Roque to challenge House quad-committee’s contempt order in court | INQToday

INQUIRER.net

12 Sept 202402:04

Summary

TLDRFormer presidential spokesperson Harry Roque plans to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court, contesting the House of Representatives' contempt order against him. He claims the committee abused its discretion in demanding private documents like tax returns and financial statements. Roque, linked to the Lucky South 99 POGO hub in Pampanga, denies any involvement, and the case is ongoing.

Takeaways

📜 Harry Roque, a former presidential spokesperson, plans to file a remedy before the Supreme Court regarding the House of Representatives' contempt order against him.
🚨 Roque mentioned he will file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in case of arrest by legislative authorities and a petition for certiorari, claiming the committee abused its discretion.
🗓 He was cited for contempt again for failing to attend a hearing and submit required documents such as tax returns and financial statements.
🏛️ The House of Representatives has been persistently requesting documents from Roque to prove he did not benefit from Philippine offshore gaming operations.
📄 Roque filed a motion to quash the subpoena, but it was denied, emphasizing public welfare over personal privacy.
🔗 Roque is linked to the raid on a POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) hub, with his signature found on documents at the site.
👤 He accompanied Cassandra Leong, a stakeholder of Whirlwind Corporation, to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation for a POGO license issue.
❌ Roque has repeatedly denied any links with the POGO hub, stating he only provided assistance and does not work for the companies involved.
🏢 Authorities are investigating alleged crimes at Lucky South 99, including torture, kidnapping, and abduction, where Roque's involvement is under scrutiny.

Q & A

Who is Harry Roque and what is his recent legal action?
-Harry Roque is a former presidential spokesperson who plans to file a remedy before the Supreme Court regarding the House of Representatives' contempt order against him.
What does the term 'remedy' refer to in this context?
-In this context, 'remedy' refers to a legal action or petition that Harry Roque intends to file in response to the contempt order issued by the House of Representatives.
What is the specific legal action that Roque mentioned he would take if arrested?
-Roque mentioned he would file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus if he is arrested by legislative authorities.
What is a writ of habeas corpus and why would Roque file it?
-A writ of habeas corpus is a legal action that requires a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, so that the court can determine the legality of the detention. Roque would file it to challenge his arrest if it occurs.
What is the second petition that Roque claims to file, and why?
-The second petition Roque claims to file is a petition for certiorari, as he believes the House committee abused its discretion in requesting private documents.
What is a petition for certiorari and what does it imply in Roque's case?
-A petition for certiorari is a legal request made to a higher court to review a lower court's decision. In Roque's case, it implies he seeks to challenge the legality of the House committee's decision to request his private documents.
Why was Harry Roque cited for contempt by the House committee?
-Harry Roque was cited for contempt because he failed to attend the hearing and submit the documents required by the panel, such as tax returns and a statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth.
What was the motion filed by Roque in response to the House's request for documents?
-Roque filed a motion to quash the subpoena issued by the House, which was denied after a representative argued that public welfare takes precedence over personal privacy.
What is the connection between Harry Roque and the Philippine offshore gaming operator hubs?
-Harry Roque is being linked to the raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga, after documents with his signature were found there.
What was the nature of Roque's involvement with Whirlwind Corporation and Lucky South 99?
-Roque has been accused of having links to the POGO hub operated by Lucky South 99, but he denies any direct involvement, stating he only assisted Whirlwind Corporation, which leased land to Lucky South 99, in settling unpaid taxes for a POGO license.
What are the alleged crimes that authorities are investigating at Lucky South 99?
-Authorities are looking into alleged crimes committed at Lucky South 99, including torture, kidnapping, and forceful abduction.

Outlines

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📜 Harry Roque's Legal Actions Against Contempt Order

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque plans to file a remedy with the Supreme Court regarding the House of Representatives' contempt order against him. In an online interview on September 13, he announced his intention to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus if arrested by legislative authorities and a petition for certiorari, claiming the House's abuse of discretion in requesting his private documents. Roque was cited for contempt again after failing to attend a hearing and submit required documents, including tax returns and a financial statement. He stated that he would leave it to the judiciary to decide on the legality of the contempt order. Jonathan Keith Flores, a representative, moved to cite Roque for contempt due to non-compliance with a subpoena. Despite Roque's motion to quash the subpoena being denied, he is linked to the raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub, where documents bearing his signature were found. Roque denies any connection to the hub, stating he only provided assistance and does not work for the companies involved. Authorities are investigating alleged crimes at the hub, including torture and kidnapping.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Contempt order

A contempt order refers to a legal ruling that someone has disobeyed or shown disrespect for a court or legislative body's authority. In the video, Harry Rock is cited for contempt by the House of Representatives' committee due to his non-compliance with the request to submit documents and attend the hearings.

💡Writ of Habeas Corpus

The writ of Habeas Corpus is a legal action through which a person can seek relief from unlawful detention. Harry Rock mentions filing a petition for a writ of Habeas Corpus in case he is arrested by legislative authorities, claiming that the actions against him may be unjust.

💡Petition for Certiorari

A petition for certiorari is a request for a higher court to review a lower court's decision for abuse of discretion. Rock plans to file this petition, asserting that the committee improperly demanded private documents from him, which he believes is an overreach of authority.

💡Tax returns

Tax returns are documents filed with a tax authority that report income, expenses, and other pertinent tax information. The committee requested Rock's tax returns to investigate potential financial misconduct, which he failed to submit, leading to the contempt charge.

💡Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN)

A SALN is a legal document in the Philippines used to declare one's financial standing, including assets and liabilities. The committee requested this document from Rock to assess his financial connections to offshore gaming operations, which he refused to provide.

💡Subpoena

A subpoena is a legal document that orders an individual to testify or provide evidence in a legal proceeding. Harry Rock was subpoenaed to submit key documents and attend the hearing but did not comply, leading to further legal action against him.

💡Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO)

POGOs are companies operating in the Philippines that offer offshore gambling services. Rock is under investigation for allegedly benefiting from one such POGO hub, Lucky South 99, although he denies any direct involvement with the company.

💡Lucky South 99

Lucky South 99 is a POGO hub implicated in alleged criminal activities such as torture and kidnapping. Rock is accused of having ties to this hub due to documents with his signature found during a raid, although he claims no direct association with it.

💡Whirlwind Corporation

Whirlwind Corporation is a company mentioned in connection with Harry Rock, as he once accompanied a stakeholder from the company to settle dues for a POGO license. This connection has raised suspicions about his involvement in the offshore gaming sector.

💡Criminal allegations

Criminal allegations refer to formal accusations of illegal activities. In this case, authorities are investigating alleged crimes at Lucky South 99, including kidnapping and torture, which are connected to the ongoing investigation involving Rock.

Highlights

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque plans to file a remedy before the Supreme Court against the House of Representatives' contempt order.

Roque intends to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in case of arrest by legislative authorities.

He also plans to file a petition for certiorari, claiming the committee abused its discretion in requesting private documents.

Roque was cited for contempt again by the Quad Committee for failing to attend a hearing and submit required documents.

The required documents include tax returns and a statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth.

Roque stated he will leave it to the Judiciary to decide on the legality of the contempt order.

Jonathan Keith Flores, a representative, moved to cite Roque for contempt due to non-compliance with the subpoena.

The House has been requesting key documents from Roque to prove he did not benefit from Philippine offshore gaming operator hubs.

Roque filed a motion to quash the subpoena, but it was denied.

Batangas representative Jille Lirio noted that public welfare takes precedence over personal privacy.

Roque is being linked to the Raid Pogo Hub in Porac, Pampanga.

Documents with Roque's signature were found in the hub by operatives.

It was revealed that Roque once accompanied a Whirlwind Corporation stakeholder to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The purpose of the visit was for the settlement of unpaid taxes for a Pogo license.

Roque has repeatedly denied having any links with the Pogo Hub.

He stated that he only assisted and does not work for Lucky South 99 or Whirlwind Corporation.

Authorities are investigating alleged crimes at Lucky South 99, including torture, kidnapping, and forceful abduction.