Palace leaves Roque asylum dispute to Remulla

Malacañang on Wednesday deferred to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to respond to former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s denial that his asylum application in Austria had been rejected.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said Remulla should address Roque’s claim since the Interior chief was the one who announced that Austrian authorities had supposedly denied the application.

“Kung si Sec. Jonvic ang nagbalita nito, hayaan po natin si Secretary Jonvic ang sumagot patungkol dito sa inaakusa ni Harry Roque. At kung mayroong ibang mga legal na operasyon na gagawin ang DILG, definitely mayroon tayong kasabihan na ‘do not telegraph your punches,’” Castro said during a Palace briefing.

“So, hayaan na lang po natin si Secretary Jonvic ang sumagot patungkol diyan,” she added.

Remulla said Tuesday that Roque’s asylum application had been denied and that authorities would seek to bring him back to the Philippines once an Interpol red notice is issued.

Roque disputed Remulla’s claim, maintaining that no decision had been issued on his asylum application.

“Noong minsan nang na-fake news si Sec. JonVic Remulla, sana natuto na siya,” Roque said in a Facebook post.

Remulla has said the government would secure an actionable document to establish the status of Roque’s asylum application.

Roque’s remark referred to Remulla’s earlier announcement that former lawmaker Zaldy Co had been arrested in Prague. Remulla later acknowledged that the information he relayed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was incorrect and that Czech authorities had not arrested Co.

Roque is facing several cases in the Philippines, including qualified human trafficking charges related to Lucky South 99 Corp., a Philippine offshore gaming operator hub raided in Porac, Pampanga.

A Pampanga court issued an arrest warrant against Roque in May 2025 over the human trafficking case. Roque has denied wrongdoing.