Robert Ace Barbers, the chairman of the House Quadripartite Committee and the representative of the second district of North Surigao, stated that the hearings on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) will continue in the future and will not end immediately.
"In fact, I previously announced that this would be the last hearing on POGO and we were prepared to terminate our dealings with POGO," Barbers said, "but there are some latest developments and information that need to be addressed. With the approval of the co-chair, we may further explore these issues. For example, one of the POGO shareholders we are concerned about will be the focus of the next hearing."
Barbers added that they hope to uncover more new information related to POGO in the next hearing. He stated, "If there are new witnesses willing to come forward and share relevant content, we will continue to evaluate this information. But at the moment, I cannot reveal too many specific details."
Quadripartite Committee Progress Report
Barbers mentioned that the statement by Romeo Acop, the representative of Antipolo, will be similar to the progress report planned to be released next week. He stated, "This report will summarize the findings of the past 12 Quadripartite Committee hearings, covering committee reports, progress reports, and proposed legislative content. We plan to submit a preliminary report before the congressional recess on December 18."
Acop's report summarized the main issues discovered by the committee during the investigation, including alleged corruption in the Customs Bureau and the "Tara system," illegal drug trade, and regulatory violations in POGO operations, as well as the network of individuals behind the bloody drug war.
Barbers revealed that they plan to bring criminal and administrative charges against several individuals, including some officials, but specific details have not yet been made public. Additionally, the report also contains proposed legislation, hoping to be included in President Ferdinand Marcos's priority agenda.
Harry Roque Still Faces Charges
Meanwhile, Barbers stated that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is still in trouble. He has been charged with contempt for failing to submit relevant documents and has been detained.
Barbers mentioned, "His detention order will remain effective until the termination of the hearing. Currently, we have not determined when the hearing will end. Therefore, as long as Roque does not clarify the issues to the committee, this order will not be lifted."
Previously, Harry Roque was listed as a defendant in a case involving human trafficking related to an illegal gambling company in Abu Dhabi, with suspects including Cassandra Li Ong of Lucky South 99. He denies being in Abu Dhabi and has submitted a relevant counter-affidavit.
Finally, Barbers emphasized that the Quadripartite Committee will continue to investigate issues related to POGO and take further actions based on new findings.
