Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is currently holding only one valid Philippine passport, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.
According to the DFA’s passport database, Roque’s current passport — issued to him in July 2024 — is valid until July 2034.
“This is the latest active passport issued to Mr. Roque, which is a 10-year validity regular passport,” the department said in a statement.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs can confirm that Mr. Harry Roque holds only one valid regular Philippine passport,” it added.
The statement was issued after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla claimed that Roque had more than one Philippine passport.
Remulla’s claim was denied by Roque, who is now in The Hague, Netherlands, where he is applying for political asylum over what he described as "political persecution through unjust prosecution" by the House Quad-Committee.
The DFA said that all other passports previously issued under Roque’s name have been duly canceled in accordance with existing rules and regulations.
Prior to the issuance of his current passport, Roque had been using a regular passport issued in 2019, which has since been canceled. The department also confirmed that Roque’s diplomatic passport, issued in December 2017 during his tenure as presidential spokesperson, was likewise canceled.
“The DFA wishes to emphasize that Filipino citizens can only have one active and valid regular passport at any given time,” it said.
“The only exception to this would be qualified government employees who may be issued official or diplomatic passports for use when travelling abroad on official mission,” it added.
Roque is facing non-bailable human trafficking charges for his alleged involvement in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) firm in Pampanga.
Before this, Roque was also the subject of an outstanding contempt order from the House of Representatives for repeatedly failing to attend its mega committee hearings.