Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has debunked a report that he had been tagged by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Chairman Alejandro Tengco as the former Cabinet secretary who "lobbied" for illegal POGO operations.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/10/pagcor-confirms-it-was-harry-roque-who-lobbied-for-an-illegal-pogo-hub
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/10/pagcor-confirms-it-was-harry-roque-who-lobbied-for-an-illegal-pogo-hub
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NewsTranscript
00:00First of all, in the hearing of the Senate earlier regarding POGO in PORAC, Chairman Tenco did not say that I lobbied for an illegal POGO.
00:12What he said was, I helped him last July to ask for a rescheduling of payment to those who should be paid by Lucky Star 99 in PAPCOR.
00:24The reason is because of Ms. Cassie Ong whom I accompanied, an employee of Whirlwind Corporation, a service provider,
00:33and the one who is in charge of Lucky South 99, Estafa victimized Lucky South.
00:41The money that was given to their representative in PAGCOR, Dennis Cunanan, did not reach PAGCOR.
00:50They received a letter from PAGCOR asking for payment.
00:55Chairman Tenco and Atty. Jeza Fernandez admitted that.
01:02There was no discussion regarding the license because Chairman Tenco mentioned that their new guidelines for internet gaming will be released.
01:11Chairman Tenco's recommendation at that time was to submit all required documents if Lucky South wants to reapply to PAGCOR.
01:23But it's clear that during our July meeting in 2023, Lucky South is not illegal.
01:30That's why it's not possible for me to lobby for an illegal POGO.
01:35Second, I believe Senator Ontiveros' conclusion that I am the legal counsel of Lucky South
01:46because in an organizational chart submitted to PAGCOR, I was written there as a legal counsel.
01:53Ma'am, in order for that organizational chart to be evidence in my being a legal counsel in Lucky Star,
02:00you should show that, number one, I have an influence in submitting that organizational chart.
02:07Or I agreed to put my name there.
02:10Like what I said in the media, I don't know why my name is there because I have no influence in submitting those documents
02:18because in the letter, I said that I am not the legal counsel of Lucky South when it comes to their licenses.
02:25And I have never been a legal counsel of Lucky South.
02:28So ma'am, anyone can put their name there, for instance, Senator Riza Ontiveros, legislative liaison.
02:35But if you don't know that, of course, you will also make a mistake.
02:39That's what happened to me.
02:40No one asked for my permission to put my name there.
02:43And no one really came to me as a client named Lucky South 99.
02:51Thirdly, the PAGCOR members said that they know Kasi Ong, who is a representative of Lucky South.
03:01The truth is, I joined him because about a year ago, before we had a meeting in PAGCOR,
03:08the Whirlwind Corporation was courting two projects of energy that I am supporting.
03:16One is an LNG project in Bataan and the other is a solar project in Cebu.
03:21We are already helping a lot in the Whirlwind.
03:25And what we are talking about is first of all, the feasibility of both projects.
03:30Second, the details of IPIRALO.
03:32And third, the acquisition of the power supply agreement and the purchase of renewable energy in WESIB.
03:42We are also helping the EPCs, the contractors who are working on the LNG plant and the solar plant.
03:52So, I really know them.
03:54They are leaders.
03:57And last July, they said that they are facing a problem.
04:02That's when I found out that they also have a Pogo plant.
04:06So anyway, I don't have a problem with that
04:08because when I was the spokesperson, I know what the business of the so-called service providers is.
04:14Because when we made the decision to open Pogo during quarantine,
04:20the people I talked to were service providers.
04:23They are the ones doing everything for the operators of Pogo.
04:26So, I really understand.
04:28Ms. Cassie Ong is a Whirlwind service provider.
04:32Now, it's very easy for me to say that yes, my client is Lucky South.
04:38What I'm doing is just looking for a way to make a living.
04:40But to be honest, before having an attorney-client relationship,
04:44this is what we call the highest fiduciary relationship.
04:47It's the highest level of trust.
04:50To be honest, there is no communication that a client or a lawyer has
04:55that anyone can say that if the client doesn't agree,
04:59then the relationship of an attorney-client relationship is sacred.
05:03If Lucky South is a real lawyer, why can't I admit it?
05:09But to be honest, because it is a highly fiduciary relationship,
05:12I cannot admit that there is no relationship between us and Lucky South.
05:19So, I hope this made it clear.
05:22First of all, I did not lobby for illegal Pogo.
05:25Because of the times I went there, I did not apply for a rescheduling of payment
05:30on behalf of a company that is being serviced by the company I know, Whirlwind,
05:37which was legal at that time.
05:39They were legal in July.
05:41Second, as an attorney-client, I said that I did not become a client of Lucky South.
05:50And if I became a client, why would I deny it?
05:53There is no responsibility of an attorney if an attorney did not do anything wrong
05:59if it is not his job as an attorney.
06:02I hope this made it clear.
06:04And I hope you understood that it is not possible for a paper that I did not know
06:11to prove something that is in that paper.
06:23For more information, visit www.FEMA.gov