The Department of Justice (DOJ) said the system of asylum should not be used to hide the responsibility of person or persons who violated the law.

Justice Secretary Frederrick Vida said this stating, ‘The system of applying for asylum should not be used to hide the responsibility or accountability of our system.”

He added, “We have always advocated our UN Convention Against Corruption because this is a universal acceptance of this.”

Vida said this in reference to the quest of the government to pin down fugitives former Congressman Rizaldy Co, former Palace spokesperson Harry Roque and others who continued to hide abroad to evade facing justice.

“The rejection or anger towards corruption is consistent in all races. French race, white race, Filipino race. All of us are against it because we know what is negative and what is the bad thing that is happening in the world,” said Vida.

The DOJ chief stated, “And again and again, the officials and officials of the Philippines are saying that we are the same here. They don't want corruption, we don't want corruption. Don't allow the system or the option of applying for asylum to be used to hide the responsibility. So, we are one.”  

Vida has said earlier that the DOJ will respect asylum proceedings involving fugitives abroad but will continue pursuing their return to the Philippines to face criminal charges.

He said the government must make clear to foreign governments that its efforts to bring fugitives home are based on criminal cases and not political persecution.

“When we make our representations, it should be clear that our pursuit of them is not because of a political issue, but because of a criminal case,” Vida said in an interview.

His remarks come amid efforts to bring back several high-profile individuals who have sought asylum overseas, including former Ako Bicol party-list lawmaker Zaldy Co, who is seeking political asylum in France.

Malacañang confirmed in April that Co had left Czech custody and was in France, where he had filed a petition for political asylum reportedly on grounds of political persecution.

The Philippine government has maintained that Co should return to the country to face graft and malversation cases.

Vida said Philippine authorities must carefully present the cases against asylum seekers to the countries where they are seeking protection, particularly by showing that the charges are ordinary criminal offenses and not politically motivated.

“The crime that he is facing, or the case that he is facing here, is a case that is also considered a crime there,” he said.

He said the DOJ would respect the asylum process but hoped foreign authorities would eventually determine that there was no basis to prevent the individuals from being returned to the Philippines.

       Vida said the DOJ also continues to work on the case of former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, who has sought asylum in Austria.

He said Roque's asylum application was filed in Austria and remains under evaluation, with Philippine authorities coordinating with the appropriate foreign counterparts.

Vida stressed that asylum claims should not be used to evade criminal accountability.

“We have to respect the process of their asylum applications,” he said. “But our hope is that ... they should be returned to the Philippines to face the cases they have to face.”

He said they are hoping that as soon as possible, they will determine that there is no reason for them to remain under asylum and that they should be returned to the Philippines to face the cases they have to face.