Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday disputed Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s claim that Austrian authorities had denied his asylum application, saying he was still awaiting a formal decision from the Austrian government.

Roque said Remulla had argued that his asylum application should be considered denied because Austrian authorities supposedly failed to act on it within six months.

“For the nth time, Secretary Jonvic Remulla has publicly claimed that my application for asylum in Austria has been denied. This is fake news,” Roque said in a statement.

“There is no such rule that automatically converts the passage of six months into a denial of an asylum application,” he added.

Austrian asylum procedures generally require authorities to issue a decision within six months, but that is a deadline for administrative action, not an automatic rejection of an application, according to Austrian legal sources. 

The Austrian Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum says an asylum application is decided through a formal order issued to the applicant. A decision can also be challenged through Austria’s administrative court system. 

Roque said his application had already been submitted for resolution and that he continued to await the “official decision” of the competent Austrian asylum authorities.

“Until the Austrian authorities themselves issue a decision on my application, claims that my asylum bid has already been denied are false and misleading,” he said.

Remulla has previously said Roque’s asylum request in Austria had been rejected. In July, Remulla said the government had communication with Roque and that authorities were waiting for an Interpol Red Notice before seeking his return to the Philippines. 

The conflicting claims come as Philippine authorities pursue Roque over criminal charges related to the Lucky South 99 Philippine offshore gaming operator in Porac, Pampanga.

Roque is facing qualified human trafficking charges and has denied the allegations, saying he is being politically persecuted. An arrest warrant has been issued against him by the Angeles Regional Trial Court Branch 118. 

In February, Roque said his asylum application in Austria was still being processed and that he had been communicating with Austrian authorities. He also said Interpol had received his request to remove him from its Red Notice system. 

Roque on Tuesday urged Philippine officials to verify information before making categorical statements about proceedings under the jurisdiction of a foreign government.

“Public officials should verify their facts before making categorical statements on matters that are within the jurisdiction of a foreign sovereign state,” he said.###