Former Presidential Spox Harry Roque Denies Alleged Denial of Asylum Bid in Netherlands
HARRY ROQUE – Duterte’s former presidential spokesman spoke anew on the Philippine government still not being able to arrest him.
Roque was previously missing from the public’s eye for several months until the transfer of the custody of his former boss, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. He is faced with an allegation of involvement in the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming operations in the country.
The House of Representatives previously issued an arrest order against Roque for contempt which led to his hiding. Recently, a local court in Pampanga issued arrest warrants against Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong, and several others accused of illegal POGO involvement. However, the former presidential spokesman insisted his asylum application in The Netherlands.
Harry Roque previously claimed that as an asylum seeker in The Netherlands, he allegedly cannot be deported while the process is ongoing. According to Duterte’s former spokesman, the process may take up to one year and a half.
Recently, Department of Justice chief Boying Remulla claimed that Harry Roque’s asylum bid in The Netherlands was allegedly denied by the Dutch government. The Justice Secretary also claimed that the former presidential Spox is in Germany.
Remulla’s claim was immediately turned down by Roque who claimed that he just went to Germany for an invitation by the Filipinos there. He also tagged the statement of the DOJ Secretary that his asylum bid was denied as “fake news”.
Furthermore, Harry Roque also recalled the previous claim of DOJ Sec. Boying Remulla that a report that the former presidential Spokesman allegedly has multiple passports. Duterte’s former Spox tagged it as the Justice Secretary’s first strike in allegedly spreading false information.
Recently, Harry Roque spoke anew on the Philippine government still not being able to get him. Based on a report on PhilStar, the former presidential spokesman challenged the PH government to get him and raised a question on why it has yet to arrest him.
“Come and get me! Ready pala sila sa akin, bakit hindi nila ako makuha,” he said to One News.
Roque also reiterated that “there is no truth” to the claim that his asylum bid in The Netherlands was denied by the Dutch government. He also stressed again that he just went to Germany to administer the oath of the members of the Hakbang ng Maisug Germany.
According to Roque, his passport is still with the Dutch authorities. Based on the report, he also stressed that his Schengen visa is valid for one year.
“There are no border patrols here. As an asylum seeker, as long as I will not leave the Schengen area, there is no violation as my passport is with the Dutch authorities,” he said.
The Department of Justice previously confirmed the efforts for the cancellation of the passport of the former presidential spokesman. Harry Roque called it as allegedly part of Marcos Jr. administration’s ways to silence him as an ally of the Dutertes.