Atty. Harry Roque Joins Duterte’s Birthday Celebration in The Hague
HARRY ROQUE – The former presidential Spokesman claimed he cannot be deported to the Philippines while the asylum application process is ongoing.
Amid the issues surrounding the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as well as the transfer of his custody to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the unexpected appeared of Roque in the Netherlands also elicited different reactions from the public.
Roque, a former spokesman of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, was spotted with Vice Pres. Sara Duterte in The Hague, Netherlands shortly after the Vice President arrived abroad to support her father. He is faced with an arrest order in the Philippines issued by the House of Representatives.
Malacañang called on the Filipinos to call for the return of Harry Roque. The former presidential Spokesman claimed that he will be part of the legal team of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Roque is one of the few Filipino lawyers accredited by the ICC. He promised the Filipinos that he will bring Duterte home. As for the Palace, he should defend himself first before defending other people.
Amid Malacañang encouraging the public to challenge Roque to go home and face the accusations against him, Harry Roque revealed his plan to seek for asylum at the Netherlands. Contrary to his previous claim, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte announced that Roque as well as former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea won’t be part of Duterte’s ICC legal team.
According to the Vice President, they want the lawyers who will be part of her father’s legal team to really focus on the case. She stressed that Roque must focus on his application for asylum.
Recently, Harry Roque joined the celebration for former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s 80th birthday held by the Filipinos in The Hague. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, at the gathering, the former presidential Spokesman affirmed that he is now “a bonafide asylum seeker”.
“Di na ko mapapadeport pabalik ng Pilipinas hanggang hindi matapos ang aking application. The process of application is about 1 and a half years,” he said.
Based on the report, Roque stressed that there is no more need for him to hide. He revealed that he has been hiding for six (6) months and a half and it is the first time again that he does not need to hide.
Amid the call for Duterte’s homecoming, countless Filipinos were surprised when Harry Roque introduced Sen. Robin Padilla as “vice president” during a rally in the Netherlands.