EDITORIAL - Porous borders

In yet another example of the porousness of the country’s borders, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque – wanted by the House of Representatives quad committee since September –sent a counter-affidavit sworn to and notarized in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 29. The counter-affidavit on the qualified human trafficking case filed against him was submitted by his lawyers on Dec. 3 to the Department of Justice.

Yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced that Roque was in Dubai, adding that he had been in Abu Dhabi together with his wife Mylah. Roque had been on an immigration lookout bulletin order or ILBO since Aug. 6 along with 11 others linked to Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming operator firm in Porac, Pampanga that was raided on June 4 this year by law enforcers.

An ILBO does not prevent the subject from leaving the country. But it requires immigration officers to report if the subject leaves. Dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo left the country despite an ILBO issued against her on June 21.

As in Guo’s case, the Bureau of Immigration is again at a loss on how Roque managed to evade detection. As BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado himself observed, the former presidential spokesperson “is a very well-known public figure. You can spot him miles away.”

Viado said Roque “most probably falsified immigration clearances” to be allowed entry into another country, adding, “He likely left the country via illegal means, possibly aided by unscrupulous individuals.”

The government has yet to piece together the complete picture on how Alice Guo ended up in Indonesia. She had told authorities following her capture that she took three boat rides from Manila to Malaysia.

It’s a long way by boat from Manila to the UAE, so perhaps Roque took a different route. His wife had left the Philippines before she was ordered arrested by the House, flying to Singapore ostensibly for a medical checkup.

Persons under an ILBO are not the only ones who can easily sneak out of the country. Even convicted murderers like former police superintendent Rafael Dumlao III, the brains behind the kidnapping and grisly execution at Camp Crame of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo, can no longer be found.

Roque had spent a night in House detention after being cited in contempt on Aug. 22 for lying about the reason for his absence at the Aug. 16 hearing of the quad comm. In September, he was cited in contempt again and ordered arrested. But he could no longer be found. There will be more cases like this until the government tightens border controls.