Getting the needed momentum to pursue the congressional investigation, a joint panel which tagged their group as a quad committee had been acting in collaboration with each other to ferret out the truth amidst narrations of those accused, chiefly the dismissed mayor, the witnesses and resource persons who are all sworn to tell the truth and nothing but the truth but are narrating conflicting tales. Many resource persons had to be threatened that they could be cited in contempt for lying before the investigating committee. The contempt power of the investigating committee had forced witnesses and resource persons to spill the beans, dropping names of high-ranking officials who had kept their principals under cover of their false narrations.
In the course of the investigation, the probers had traced the root of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) as emanating from the order of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). A revisit to the basic law that created PAGCOR that is Republic Act 9487 which amended the PAGCOR Charter that is Presidential Decree No. 1869 which granted PAGCOR a franchise to operate and license gambling establishments in the Philippines. The law aims to provide regulations and limitations for the operation of such establishments.
Grilling the resource person, chiefly Atty. Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Jr. who kept denying that he has no connection with POGO operators despite documents that law enforcement authorities found in his house, was cornered by one lawyer who is a member of the house committee. Atty. Gerville A. Luistro who invited his attention to latest jurisprudence regarding lawyer-client relationship. He got mum after being refreshed with rulings of the high court that even if there is no contract and no lawyer’s fees for services rendered.
It would be recalled that he was profusely denying that he was lawyering for Lucky South 99, insisting that he only provided his legal services to Whirlwind Corporation. He downplayed his role as merely assisting the corporate secretary of Lucky South 99 Ronalyn Baterna in settling arrears payment and license renewal which was mentioned by PAGCOR Chief Alenjandro Tengco to the investigating committee. But the said Lucky South 99 corporate secretary clarified that her role was only to issue tickets and the money she keeps was not hers but that of Lucky South 99 which is represented by Cassandra Li Ong.
So much delay has caused the investigation to veer into various issues. As of latest reports, the dismissed mayor Alice Guo have yet to be arrested and is believed to have escaped out of the country. Also, the Lucky South 99 and Whirlwind Corporation officials, including Cassandra Li Ong of Lucky South 99 are reportedly out of the country. The findings of the investigation committee has become futile as the persons that are subject for arrest and detention are nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, the quad committee remains in the limelight of a show that keeps them in the public mind until the forthcoming elections. What a show.
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