Malacañang on Friday dismissed former presidential spokesman Harry Roque’s allegation of political persecution by the Marcos administration, stressing that the issuance of an arrest warrant by a local court was “valid.”
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Roque had failed to provide documents during last year’s congressional hearing to account for his increased wealth.
“Let us remember, it was the court itself that issued a valid warrant of arrest in connection with the case of qualified human trafficking,” Castro said.
Roque claimed he was being targeted by the Marcos administration for his ties to the Dutertes, which Castro downplayed.
“That is, of course, the narrative he will stick to — his defense — but he has yet to properly address where the documents he promised to submit to the House of Representatives are,” Castro told Palace reporters.
She said Roque must clarify his unresolved issues with the court before attributing his situation to political persecution.
“He has not addressed that, and whatever alleged hidden wealth he is being linked to, he still hasn’t explained — so how can there be political persecution?” she asked.
Castro said Roque is facing land-grabbing complaints filed with the Ombudsman.
“And it’s not just that, we have also heard that there is a pending case for alleged land grabbing in Bataan, which has supposedly been pending with the Ombudsman since 2023,” she said.
“So, perhaps we should also know the details and the truth about the accusations made by 77 farmers regarding the alleged land grabbing committed by attorney Harry Roque,” she added.
Castro likewise noted that the Department of Justice (DoJ) might coordinate with Interpol on Roque’s arrest.
“Let’s just wait and see what action the government, through the DoJ, will take,” she said.
Roque said he plans to highlight the issuance of the arrest warrant as part of the “unjust prosecution” against him in his asylum application in the Netherlands.
“I am a victim of political persecution by the Marcos government because I am an ally of the Dutertes. I reiterate: this is not flight as evidence of guilt but the exercise of a human right to asylum,” he said.
However, Castro said Roque would need to prove that any action to take him into custody—whether through the cooperation of Interpol or otherwise—would be based on “mere harassment” and not a legitimate legal matter.
“There are conditions to this; it is not simply a statement saying that one cannot be arrested easily, especially if there is a valid arrest warrant and charges that he must face. He should not hide behind his petition for asylum,” she added.
On Thursday, the Angeles City Regional Trial Court issued warrants of arrest for Roque, Cassandra Ong, and 48 others for qualified human trafficking in relation to the alleged scam hub run by Lucky South 99, the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque has since denied the accusation, saying that “he is not—and has never been—the legal counsel” of any illegal POGO, including Lucky South 99.
He said he only accompanied Ong to a meeting because he believed she was a victim of estafa (fraud).”
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is planning to seek the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in locating Roque.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP information chief P/Col. Randulf Tuaño said the plan was discussed during a recent meeting between the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief P/MGen. Nicolas Torre III and his legal team.
“That is being considered, including the information that] political asylum can be granted for a minimum of six months,” Tuaño told reporters.
The former Palace spokesperson left the Philippines in September last year after being cited in contempt by the House of Representatives for refusing to attend hearings on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), now referred to as Internet Gaming Licensees.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, meantime, has directed the CIDG to deploy tracker teams to locate Ong, the incorporator of the scam hub, along with 49 others who were also ordered arrested by the court.
Tuaño said the CIDG will also coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration concerning Ong, who is believed to have left the country.