ARIANNE MEREZ: Can you confirm the statement of Pemberton’s lawyer, Rowena Garcia-Flores, that in 2017, you agreed that Pemberton can be paroled already? Can you explain this, for Secretary Roque?

SEC. ROQUE: I vehemently deny that. That is a lie. And I’m asking now the Secretary General of the House of Representative, sir, pakigawa nga po ng certification kung ni minsan nagpunta si Attorney Flores sa aking tanggapan doon sa Kongreso noong ako ay kongresista pa. Kung ako po ay pumayag nang 2017 eh bakit hanggang ngayon ay nakakulong pa si Pemberton? It doesn’t make sense po.

So I think sinabi niya iyan para lang i-explain kung bakit hindi binigyan ng pagkakataon na madinig ang pamilyang Laude, pero wala pong katotohanan iyan. And I will pursue this ‘no, I’m now formally requesting po, I will formally request the House Sec. Gen. to issue a certification if Attorney Flores went to my office at any time in the year of 2017.