Brosas, De Guzman slam Roque’s plan to seek asylum

Progressive senatorial candidates Arlene Brosas and Leody De Guzman criticized Tuesday former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque after he expressed interest to seek asylum in The Netherlands. 

Both candidates said that Roque’s asylum bid could be his attempt to evade accountability in his alleged involvement in illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations. 

"Atty. Roque's asylum bid is nothing but a mockery of justice and a slap in the face of the Filipino people. Halatang ginagamit niya ang prosesong ito para lang takasan ang kaniyang pananagutan (It’s obvious that he is using this process to evade accountability)," Brosas said in a statement. 

“Hindi dapat bigyan ng asylum ang taong mayroong dapat ipaliwanag sa taumbayan, ang kanyang papel sa pagsulpot at paglaganap ng Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators o POGO lalo pa’t may alegasyon ng human at sex trafficking,” said De Guzman in a statement. 

(Anyone who should be held accountable for his role in the proliferation of Philippines Offshore Gaming Operators or POGO shall not be granted an asylum, especially if there is allegation of human and sex trafficking.) 

Roque said on Monday that he will file for an application for asylum “immediately” in the Netherlands, stressing that he cannot go back to the Philippines as he wants to defend Duterte

“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.

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

An Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order was also issued against Roque. 

But the former presidential spokesperson maintained that he is not a fugitive and did not commit any crimes in the Philippines. 

For his part, De Guzman said that Roque has no longer been part of the human rights community. 

“Matagal nang huminto si Roque ang pagsisilbi sa masa. Ngayon ay nakukuntento na lamang siya sa pagsisilbi sa berdugong amo niya. Matagal na siyang itinakwil ng human rights community sa bansa,” he said. 

(Roque is no longer serving the masses. He is now content in serving his brutal boss. The human rights community no longer recognizes him.) 

Meanwhile, Brosas said that other personalities involved in illegal POGO operations must be investigated as well. 

"This case exposes the deep-rooted corruption enabling these illegal POGO operations. Hindi lang si Roque ang dapat imbestigahan kundi pati ang mga nasa likod ng operasyong ito at ang mga protektor nila sa gobyerno (Aside from Roque, other individuals behind  POGO and their backers from the government should also be investigated)," she said. —AOL, GMA Integrated News

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