Harry laughs off asylum rumor

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday denied a post circulating on social media that his asylum application in the Netherlands had been rejected.

In a message to Daily Tribune, Roque said his application remains pending before the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND), dismissing the online rumor as “fake news.”

“Bwahahahaha. Fake news,” Roque wrote, referring to a social media post alleging that the Dutch government had denied his asylum request, forcing him to leave the country.

“I’m still a bona fide asylum seeker. FYI, Germany is five minutes away from me,” he added.

The post claimed Roque had relocated to Bremen, Germany, after being denied asylum in the Netherlands. It noted that Roque had posted a photo from Bremen, a city known for its UNESCO sites, a Mercedes-Benz plant, and Beck’s beer.

Roque filed for asylum in the Netherlands last month, citing “political persecution through unjust prosecution” by the Philippines House Quad Committee.

He is currently facing non-bailable human trafficking charges tied to his alleged involvement with a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator firm in Pampanga. He also faces a contempt order by the House of Representatives for skipping multiple hearings.