Amid Harry Roque Arrest Warrant Release, DOJ Speaks on Remedies Available for Gov’t
DOJ – The Department of Justice confirmed that the authorities may tap the Interpol for the arrest of former presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
Recently, arrest warrants were issued by a local court against former presidential spox Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong, and 48 others. Roque and Ong are both faced with accusations over their alleged involved in the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming operations in the country.
Roque was out from the public sight for around six (6) months until in March when former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was arrested and sent to The Hague, Netherlands. He was spotted outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) which detained the former President over alleged crimes against humanity.
Harry Roque who was the spokesman of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte during his term also claimed that he will part of the ICC legal team of the former Chief Executive. He vowed to the Filipino people to bring home Duterte amid the calls for his return.
However, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte had a different pronouncement — she announced that Roque as well as former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea will not be part of her father’s ICC legal team. According to her, the former presidential spox should focus on his application for asylum in the Netherlands.
Atty. Harry Roque announced that he has filed his application for asylum in the Netherlands. According to him, he allegedly cannot be deported in the Philippines while his bid for asylum is ongoing. He claimed that the application process may take up to one and a half year.
Amid the release of an arrest warrant against Harry Roque while he is in the Netherlands, the DOJ said there are a lot of available remedies for the Philippine authorities. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said the Philippine government may directly communicate with the Dutch government or may also seek the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
“We will have to go through diplomatic channels and marami yang diplomatic channels available. Pwedeng direkta makipag-usap sa gobyerno kung saan ang accused. Pwede rin tayong dumaan sa iba’t ibang international organization kasama na diyan ang Interpol,” the Justice Assistant Secretary.
Based on the report, DOJ Assistance Sec. Mico Clavano also clarified that the Philippine authorities has to obtain jurisdiction over Harry Roque first. He must be brought to the court.
“Kailangan nating dalhin ang tao mismo doon sa korte. That is the only time na magkakaroon ng jurisdiction ang court over the person and that is the only time na pwedeng magsalita ang court doon sa trial niya,” the DOJ Assistant Secretary said.
Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque is not part of Duterte’s final ICC legal team as British-Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has announced.