I’m not a fugitive from law, only from Congress - Roque

Metro Manila, Philippines – An ex-presidential spokesperson facing a congressional arrest warrant for contempt has surfaced on social media and said he is not a lawbreaker, only a “fugitive from Congress.”

A House of Representatives quad-committee, which is investigating illegal offshore gaming operations, has ordered Roque to be detained in its premises for failure to submit subpoenaed documents including his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth.

https://www.newswatchplus.ph/news/2024/9/12/roque-second-contempt.html

Roque said House officials are targeting him for supposedly spreading a video of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. using illegal substances.

“Hindi ako pugante dahil ako po ay lumabag sa batas. Pugante ako sa Kongreso lamang. Wala po akong pakialam dahil ang tingin ko naman kung ako'y na-cite in contempt of Congress, ang Kongreso naman po cited in contempt of the people of the Philippines,” he said in a video posted on his Facebook account.

[Translation: I am not a fugitive because I did not violate any law. I am a fugitive from Congress. I don’t care because I think if Congress cited me in contempt, the people should cite Congress in contempt.]

“Magpapaaresto ba 'ko o hindi? Well, naniniwala po kasi ako 'pag ang Kongreso lumabag sa kanyang kapangyarihan at naging guilty of abuse of power at grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction, iligal po ang kanilang order,” he went on.

[Translation: Will I have myself detained or not? Well, I believe if Congress is abusing its power and discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction, its order is illegal.]

The Philippine National Police assisted the House in looking for Roque, but failed to locate him in his two Metro Manila addresses.

https://www.newswatchplus.ph/news/2024/9/16/Roque-not-found-in-two-addresses.html

Meanwhile, Roque said POGO personalities like Cassandra Li Ong and Alice Guo are facing charges, but he is not included among them.

Roque reiterated that issues against him such as unexplained wealth should be brought to the Supreme Court.

He added that Ong, executive assistant of a raided POGO hub in Pampanga, has denied hiring him as a lawyer.

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.