Harry Roque to seek asylum in the Netherlands

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced Monday that he will file for an application for asylum in the Netherlands, stressing that he cannot go back to the Philippines as he wants to defend former President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Roque made the statement when asked at a press conference for his next steps should the Philippines file an extradition request for him to be sent home. 

“Well, I’m formally announcing that after a meeting today, I’m formally filing for asylum here at the Netherlands. As soon as my application of asylum is received, I do have rights to non-refoulement,” Roque said.

“Non-refoulement under the international law means number one, non-deportation until matapos ‘yung imbestigasyon if I’m entitled to an asylum status, and number two, non-prosecution for illegal entry,” he added. 

Roque noted that he legally entered the Netherlands as he has a Schengen visa.

He also said that he will file the application for asylum “immediately.”

“There’s a whole procedure that I need to comply [with] before they give me proof that I am an asylum seeker and a temporary residence in the Netherlands, as soon as they receive my application for asylum,” he added.

Earlier on Monday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said Roque should also be challenged to return to the Philippines after surfaced in The Hague in the Netherlands.

Castro said this when asked how the Philippine government views Roque's appearance in the Netherlands since he flew out of the country after being implicated in the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). 

In response, Roque said that he cannot return to the Philippines, as he needs to defend Duterte as part of the list of counsels of the ICC at The Hague. 

“I’m sorry I cannot come home, I have to defend my president,” he said.

Authorities last Tuesday served a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte for murder charges as a crime against humanity in connection with his deadly drug war that reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 6,000 people.

The former Philippine leader is currently in detention at the ICC prison at The Hague, Netherlands. He made his first appearance before the ICC on Friday, via video link.

Roque earlier disclosed that Duterte's lawyers will include himself, former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, and a member of the British Bar, Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, whom he said is another listed ICC counsel.

The former presidential spokesperson also denied that he is a fugitive, maintaining that he did not commit any crimes and there is no warrant of arrest against him issued by any court. 

“Fake news po ‘yung sinasabi nilang pugante ako dahil ang pugante po ay tumatakas sa isang arrest warrant na inissue ng isang hukuman. Ang arrest warrant na inissue ng Kongreso ay para lang sa isang resource person para dumalo sa isang pagpupulong at pagsumite ng mga dokumento,” he explained. 

(The accusation that I’m a fugitive is fake news because a fugitive is someone running away from an arrest warrant issued by a court. An arrest warrant issued by Congress is only for a resource person to attend a hearing and submit documents.) 

To recall, the House Quad Committee in September 2024 cited Roque in contempt and ordered his detention after he refused to submit documents that would supposedly justify his increased wealth.

An Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order was also issued against Roque and 11 others in August.

Quad Comm lead chairperson and Surigao del Norte Ace Barbers has called out the Bureau of Immigration (BI) over its failure to track Roque's whereabouts.

“As long as he is in the country, we would ask the law enforcement agencies to serve the detention order [against Roque] because he was cited in contempt by the committee,” Barbers told reporters.

“But more than that, I think we should already ask the Bureau of Immigration. Ano bang nangyari? Saan galing ‘yan? His port of origin is reflected in his passport. So, bakit hindi nai-inform ang Bureau of Immigration tungkol dyan? O bakit walang aksyon ang ating Bureau of Immigration?,” he added.

Quadcom co-chair Rep Joseph Stephen Paduano said he wanted the Department of Foreign Affairs and the BI to explain in the next Quadcom hearing.

“We might as well invite DFA and the Bureau of Immigration to explain to the committee with regards to the documents, especially this passport being used by Harry Roque because alam naman ng lahat na itong si Harry Roque is being cited in contempt in the House," Paduano said. –with reports from Llanesca T. Panti and Tina Panganiban-Perez/NB/RF, GMA Integrated News