DOJ prepares Interpol red notice for Harry Roque amid trafficking charges

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is finalizing its request for an Interpol red notice against former presidential spokesperson and human rights lawyer Harry Roque, who is facing charges of qualified trafficking in persons in connection with a POGO-linked scam hub in Pampanga.

Roque is one of 50 individuals, including Cassandra Ong, named in arrest warrants issued by Pampanga RTC Branch 118 over alleged ties to the Lucky South 99 scam hub in Porac. After months in hiding, he resurfaced in March outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands—appearing with Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Robin Padilla—and has since confirmed he is applying for asylum in the Netherlands.

Justice Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano confirmed Tuesday that the DOJ is still preparing documents for the red notice but is also assessing other legal routes. "Beyond Interpol, and upon consultation with international law experts in the DOJ, there are many more options to consider," he said. "We are in the process of identifying the best course of action."

A red notice is not an international arrest warrant, but it does alert law enforcement agencies in Interpol-member states to locate and provisionally detain a wanted person pending extradition or legal action. The request, once filed, will be routed through the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, with official communication handled by the Department of Foreign Affairs, DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said in an interview with ONE News.

Ty added that the DOJ hopes to file the red notice request by next week, and that Interpol will act swiftly. He also addressed Roque’s asylum claim, saying the principle of non-refoulement—which protects individuals from being returned to a country where they face serious harm—does not apply in this case, as the charges involve a non-political crime.

“That’s one of the points we’ll emphasize in our official communication to The Hague,” Ty said, noting that DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has directed the department to make this clear in writing.

Roque, who served as spokesperson to former president Rodrigo Duterte, also faces a separate House contempt citation and arrest order for his failure to explain the source of his wealth before the congressional Quad Committee.

The DOJ maintains that pursuing accountability in this case is a matter of justice for the victims. “It is the duty of government to locate those involved in crimes and bring them before the court,” Clavano said.