Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has come under fire after a decade-old tweet praising the Philippines' entry into the International Criminal Court (ICC) resurfaced online.

The controversy reignited following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is now in ICC custody facing charges of crimes against humanity.

The old tweet, posted on X (formerly Twitter), read: "At long last, the Philippines is a member of the ICC! Despots, murderers, torturers beware!"

At the time, Roque was a staunch human rights advocate, but his critics argue that his recent actions contradict his past principles.

Roque has also faced legal troubles himself. He was previously detained for failing to attend a hearing before the House Quad Committee, which was investigating Duterte-era policies.

He attributed his absence to a scheduling mix-up. Since then, he has positioned himself as a "political detainee," claiming that the current administration is targeting him due to his strong ties with the Dutertes.

Roque recently reemerged in public, joining Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Robinhood Padilla in The Hague, Netherlands, to show support for former President Duterte. This marked his first public appearance in a long time.