Claim: Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque will be imprisoned for life after a contempt citation from a House of Representatives mega panel investigating the proliferation of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The video containing the claim was posted on August 25 by a YouTube channel with 178,000 subscribers. As of writing, the video has 41,218 views, 586 likes, and 104 comments.
The video’s title implies Roque will be sentenced to life in prison: “Roque kakasuhan na? Habangbuhay makukulong. Dinawit pati pamilya ni Roque?” (Roque to be charged? [He] will be sentenced to life in prison. Roque’s family also implicated?)
The video’s thumbnail includes text saying that the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) will file charges against Roque over his alleged connection with POGOs. It also features the images of PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio and SAGIP Representative Rodante Marcoleta.
The facts: No formal charges have been filed against Roque or a court decision sentencing him to life in prison. The misleading video did not provide evidence for its claim, merely showing clips from the House mega panel’s hearing on August 22 citing Roque in contempt.
The power to cite a person in contempt is a “constitutional prerogative granted to Congress to ensure obedience and respect for its proceedings.” It does not equate to a court conviction or life imprisonment sentence.
The misleading video also makes no mention of Roque’s family or Marcoleta being implicated in the issue, as falsely suggested in the thumbnail.
Cited in contempt: Roque was cited in contempt on August 22 for lying before the quad committee about his absence at the committee’s first hearing on August 16. The former presidential spokesperson asked to be excused as he had to attend a hearing at a Manila court on the same date.
Kabayan Partylist Representative Ron Salo, however, presented a copy of certification from the Manila Regional Trial Court showing that Roque had no hearing scheduled on August 16.
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Salo moved to cite Roque in contempt under Section 11 of the House’s Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation, which says that a House committee “may punish any person for contempt, by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Members present, there being a quorum.” Among the grounds for citing a person in contempt is “acting in a disrespectful manner towards any Member of the committee or any misbehavior in the presence of the committee.”
Roque later reasoned that it was an honest mistake and that he did not feel well during the first hearing. He was later detained for 24 hours in the House detention cell.
Roque and POGOs: Roque has previously appeared before the House’s investigation into POGOs to defend himself from allegations that he lawyered for a raided POGO company in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque and 11 others have also been put on immigration lookout over alleged POGO links. – Ramon Franco Verano/Rappler.com
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Ramon Franco Verano is a Rappler volunteer. He is a fourth year History student at the University of Santo Tomas.