Former Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Speaks on VP Sara Duterte amid FPRRD Detention
HARRY ROQUE – The former Presidential Spokesman explained why Vice President Sara Duterte won’t enlist as a legal counsel of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
The presence of Roque outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague, Netherlands shocked countless Filipinos. The former presidential spokesman who was spotted talking with Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is faced with issues in the Philippines. The House of Representatives has cited him in contempt.
The House cited Roque in contempt for allegedly failing to submit the required documents that would explain the growth of his wealth. The former presidential spokesman was away from public eye since then. It was only recently when he made a public appearance again.
According to Atty. Harry Roque, he will seek asylum at the Netherlands as he applied to be part of the legal team of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. His announcement came amid the Malacañang encouraging the Filipinos to challenge Roque to return to the Philippines.
Harry Roque vowed to return former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippines. Currently, the enlisted legal counsel of Duterte in the ICC registry is former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea. The former presidential spokesman also clarified that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte won’t enlist as a legal counsel of Duterte.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the recent statement of Atty. Harry Roque is opposite to his previous announcement that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will try to enlist herself as a legal counsel of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte to address the situation with regards to the visitation.
“Kaya naman po si VP Sara is being accredited as legal counsel, para nga po magkaroon siya ng right to visit in and out na unfettered. Kasi kung relative, kada pasok mo, meron kang applicaiton na pipirmahan,” Roque previously said.
In an update, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque corrected himself saying that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will not be a legal counsel of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte as it will be against the law in the Philippines.
“Lilinawin ko lang po yung mga lumalabas na report, hindi po magiging abugado ng Presidente si VP Sara dahil sa Saligang Batas natin ay merong pagbabawal sa pag-practice ng propesyon. So ang kanyang karapatan pogn bumisita ay birang anak. So ulitin hindi siya papasok bilang abugado,” he said.
The Philippine Constitution mandates the strict avoidance to a conflict of interest in the conduct of the government official’s office. Based on the report, Article VII, Section 13 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that the president, vice president, and the cabinet members shall not “directly or indirectly, practice any other profession”.
Previously, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has talked to former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. According to her, the former Chief Executive wants her to immediately come home to the Philippines.