Ex-Cabinet man linked to POGO hub named

The ex-Cabinet member who lobbied for a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub was none other than former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco on Wednesday named Roque as the former Cabinet member who liaised with him on behalf of the Lucky South 99, a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga that was raided by the authorities.

At yesterday’s resumption of the Senate investigation into raided POGO hubs, Tengco detailed how Roque lobbied for the grant of a license to the POGO hub in Porac.

Tengco said his office received a call from Roque “sometime in July 2023,” seeking an appointment with him.

Roque came with Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, Tengco said, while PAGCOR Offshore Gaming Licensing Department head Jessa Fernandez also sat in on the meeting at the PAGCOR office in Malate, Manila.

“In his (Roque’s) introduction to us, he said Ms. Cassandra Li Ong was having a problem paying all the bills the company she represented owed PAGCOR,” Tengco said.

Ong was the authorized representative of Lucky South 99.

During the meeting, Ong allegedly asked to give the POGO firm a chance to pay its arrears of six months amounting to more than US$500,000.

“I asked them, what is your purpose here? First, they were requesting if it would be possible to be given the chance to pay their arrears. Besides that, they were also asking because we changed the rules and structure last July, and the license and registration given to them last October 2023 would be expiring. Since we issued new policies and guidelines, they wanted to submit a reapplication,” Tengco said.

Ong allegedly told Tengco the POGO firm had religiously made its monthly payments to PAGCOR through Dennis Cunanan, the former head of the defunct Technology Resource Center, who was the official representative of the POGO firm with Pagcor.

The payments, however, were never made to PAGCOR and they were “shocked” when they received a letter notifying them of their arrears of six months, Ong reportedly said.

Tengco clarified that Roque, despite being present at the meeting, “did not pressure” him to grant the POGO firm’s request.

“He was only asking if we could help Cassandra Ong,” he said, when Senator Risa Hontiveros asked if Roque followed up on the request after the meeting, to which Tengco responded in the negative.

Meanwhile, Fernandez said Roque contacted her six times to follow up on the reapplication of Lucky South 99’s license.

“In my tracking, he called five times. He was just asking about the lacking documents that still needed to be complied with, so I sent him a list and he replied with thanks,” she said.

“Then, once, he sent a message informing me that they had retained a lawyer for the AMLAC filing and that it would be filed in three weeks at the latest,” she added.

Fernandez also affirmed that Roque “did not force” her to approve the reapplication of the POGO firm.

‘Never a legal counsel’

DAILY TRIBUNE sought Roque’s comment on Tengco’s revelation through text, but he referred the paper to his post on Facebook for his official statement.

In his Facebook post, Roque denied that he served as a legal counsel for Lucky South 99.

“I am not and have never been a legal counsel to any illegal pogo. Neither was I counsel to Lucky South 99, incorporated. I also did not participate in preparing Lucky South’s organizational chart, which identified me as their legal counsel,” he said.

Likewise, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson also denied media reports that Tengco said he represented an illegal POGO.

“As clearly stated by PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco in today’s Senate hearing, I requested a rescheduling of arrears payment of a lessee and principal of my client Whirlwind Corporation. My client is a service provider to Lucky South, then a holder of a valid license from PAGCOR,” Roque said.

“Furthermore, Senator Risa Hontiveros’ conclusion that I lied when I claimed in the media that I am Whirlwind’s counsel is bereft of merit. I clarify that I did not consent to nor was I informed of my name’s inclusion in any submission by Lucky South with PAGCOR concerning license renewal,” he added.

He continued: “If her only basis is the organizational chart naming me as legal counsel of Lucky South 99, then I challenge her to prove that I had a direct hand in preparing the said document. No such evidence exists.”

Roque had served as legal counsel for Whirlwind Corp., the company that leased its land to Lucky South 99, which was raided by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission last month.