Roque to answer trafficking raps, no plan to appear before DOJ

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday said he will answer the qualified human trafficking complaint filed against him, but maintained that there are numerous ways to do so besides a personal appearance to the Justice Department.

“Ako po ay magsasampa ng aking depensa diyan sa counter affidavit pero iba't ibang pamamaraan po ang pinapayagan ng ating rules kung paano po gawin ‘yan,” Roque said in Zoom briefing with reporters.

(I will file my defense through a counter-affidavit but there are numerous ways that are allowed under our rules to do so.)

Roque, who has been issued an arrest order by the House of Representatives, made the remark when was asked if he had plans to personally appear before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

According to Roque, he may swear to the authenticity of his counter-affidavit before prosecutors of other legal entities instead of going to the DOJ.

“Pupwede pong manumpa sa kahit kaninong piskal o kahit kaninong pupwedeng magbigay ng panunumpa,” he said. 

(We can swear before other prosecutors.)

This came after authorities filed a supplemental complaint affidavit against him on Monday, adding him in the initial trafficking complaint against Lucky South 99 authorized representative Cassandra Li Ong and others.

Roque again denied the accusations, saying that the evidence against him is not new. 

“Malinaw po, gawa-gawa po itong mga charges na ito. At ang aking pinagdadasal naman ay ang ating mga prosecutors ay gagawin ang kanilang katungkulan,” the former presidential spokesperson said.

(It is clear that these are trumped-up charges. And I am hoping that our prosecutors will do their duty.)

“Wala pong ebidensya ng akto ng pagrerecruit, wala pong ebidensya nung pamamaraan ng paggamit ng dahas, wala pong ebidensya na ang ginawa ay para pagtrabahuhin ang mga tao, at wala pong ebidensya ng sabwatan o ng conspiracy,” he added.

(There is no evidence of the recruitment, there is no evidence that force was used, there is no evidence that people were forced to work, and there is no evidence of conspiracy.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News