Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was cited in contempt and ordered a 24-hour detention for lying to the quad committee of the House of Representatives about his failure to attend the first hearing on August 16 last week.

The four house panels, namely, the Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Public Accounts, and Human Rights, presided over the hearing on the criminal activities that transpired during former president Duterte's term; including the investigation of POGO-related crimes. The contempt order was issued by Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo before the end of the hours-long proceeding in Pampanga.

Roque's absence was supposedly due to a scheduled court hearing on the same day in Manila. However, a certification from the court revealed that the former attended the court hearing a day earlier.

The attorney was required to be in attendance after investigations on the raided Lucky South 99 POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, identified his involvement. However, Roque refuted the claim, stating that he only provided counsel to Cassandra Ong, a representative from Whirlwind firm, in securing POGO licences.