Roque faces Interpol Red Notice dragnet

Roque faces Interpol Red Notice dragnet | Daily Tribune

The Philippine government has asked Interpol to issue a Red Notice for former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, expanding international efforts to hold key figures in the shuttered Lucky South 99 POGO hub accountable, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Sunday.

Authorities also clarified how Cassandra Li Ong, a principal figure in the network, managed to leave the country before an arrest warrant was issued (See related story).

PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said the request for Roque’s arrest notice has been transmitted to Interpol and is based solely on evidence uncovered in the investigation. He rejected Roque’s claim of political persecution.

“It is difficult because he keeps projecting that he is supposedly being politically persecuted. That is not true. Everything depends on the evidence,” Casio said.

Investigators identified Roque as head of the legal department for Lucky South 99, especially in its failed reapplication for a Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation license.

He faces multiple complaints, including qualified human trafficking. Criminal cases were filed against him and 48 others in April 2025, with at least one already submitted for resolution.

Roque has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, insisting he was never legal counsel to an illegal POGO operation.

He left the Philippines last year after being cited for contempt by the House of Representatives and reportedly sought asylum in the Netherlands.

PAOCC officials said he has also been seen in Germany after the Netherlands allegedly rejected his asylum request.

“The government already submitted a request for a Red Notice,” Casio said. “The cases are based on evidence. The government continues to pursue all legal avenues to ensure accountability.”

Authorities said the Red Notice will allow global enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest Roque while extradition or related proceedings move forward.

The request is part of broader coordination that also targets Ong and her associate, Rosalin Baterna, both facing Interpol notices for qualified human trafficking.