Roque may face deportation if passport revoked — DOJ Chief
HARRY Roque denied asylum in the Netherlands — tulips said no, windmills turned away. Now reportedly wandering in Germany, where even bratwurst can't digest that dolomite defense.
Photograph courtesy of OVP
Once former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s Philippine passport is revoked, formal extradition proceedings may no longer be necessary to bring him back to the country, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said Wednesday.
In an interview, Remulla confirmed that Roque — who recently applied for asylum in the Netherlands but was denied — is now believed to be in Germany.
“As of now, we can already file for extradition when the time comes. But that might no longer be necessary, especially if his passport gets revoked,” Remulla said. “If his stay becomes undocumented, we can already act on that.”
He added that it remains unclear whether Roque’s passport has officially been canceled. “There hasn’t been a formal cancellation yet,” he noted.
Authorities are still verifying the status of Roque’s travel documents.
Although there are no active legal proceedings against Roque in Europe, Remulla noted that he can still move freely within the Schengen area due to open-border arrangements, provided he holds a valid visa.
However, if his legal travel documents are invalidated, authorities may initiate efforts to locate and remove him from any Schengen state.