House issues show cause order vs Roque aide, several others

By Zaldy De Layola, Philippine News Agency

When Roque’s name got entangled with the government crackdown on POGO hubs operated by Chinese high-rollers, Dela Serna, a former male pageant contestant, also came under public scrutiny. (File Photo :TOTO LOZANO/PCOO)

BACOLOR, Pampanga – The four House committees jointly investigating illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO), drug trade and human rights violations during the past administration issued a show cause order against several individuals, including former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s executive assistant.

The aide, Alberto Rodulfo Dela Serna, and several others did not appear before the joint panel hearing conducted in Bacolor, Pampanga by the quad committee of Dangerous Drugs, Public Accounts, Human Rights, and Public Order and Safety.

Roque was also absent from the hearing, citing a scheduled appearance at the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC).

The quad committee subsequently directed the secretariat to verify if Roque was indeed at an RTC hearing.

Panel chair Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers approved the motion of Public Accounts chair, Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, to issue a show cause order.

Other members of the quad committee are Manila 6th District Rep. Bievenido Abante, chair of the Human Rights panel, and City of Santa Rosa Rep. Dan Fernandez, chair of the Committee on Public Order and Safety.

When Roque’s name got entangled with the government crackdown on POGO hubs operated by Chinese high-rollers, Dela Serna, a former male pageant contestant, also came under public scrutiny.

The absence of key figures, including Dela Serna, alarmed committee members, leading to the issuance of show cause orders to compel their attendance and cooperation in the ongoing investigation.

Dela Serna’s connection to Roque was exposed when the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission raided the Lucky South 99 compound in Porac town.

During the raid, Dela Serna’s appointment papers as Executive Assistant III under Roque’s office dated Oct. 5, 2021 were found, along with an affidavit from Roque taking full responsibility for his aide’s financial needs during trips to Poland, Ukraine and Italy in October 2023.

The discoveries raised questions about the nature of their relationship and the legitimacy of their travels.

Other individuals ordered to explain their absence were Acting Mayor Eraño Timbang and various department heads from Bamban, Tarlac, as well as officials from Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc., such as Thelma B. Laranan and Yu Zheng Can.

The incorporators of Baofu Land Corporation, including dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Leal Guo and Bernard Chua, were also named in the show cause orders.

Key figures from Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc. and Lucky South 99 Corp., including president Julian Linsangan III, along with incorporators of Whirlwind Corp., such as Josefina B. Mascarenas and Duanren Wu; incorporators of Biancham Holdings and Trading Inc., including Roque and his associates; lawyer Gerald Medina of the Medina, Flores Ofrin Law Office; Ruperto Cruz, owner of the controversial property in Bamban; and Danny Corral, president and chief executive officer of First Bataan Mariveles Holdings Corp., were included in the list.

Hope for prosecution

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is hoping that the House investigation would result in prosecution.

“Hindi na dapat mag-atubili ang mga kongresista at magpaligoy-ligoy pa. Alamin at papanagutin sana ang mga may kinalaman sa mga mapang-abusong gawain laban sa bansa at kapwa nating Pilipino (The lawmakers should not hesitate and beat around the bush. They must dig deeper and hold accountable those who are involved in these abusive acts against the country and the people),” CBCP Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said in a radio interview.

Secillano also expressed hope that the investigation would put an end to illegal POGOs in the country, pursuant to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive.

In his opening statement, Barbers said the joint panel wants to determine whether POGOs served as a conduit for illegal activities and criminality in the country, some of which were even given protection by the police and government officials. (with Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)