Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Wednesday told former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to watch her statements in full before accusing her of spreading misinformation regarding his status as a fugitive.
The exchange follows Roque’s criticism of Castro’s recent remarks that Philippine Embassy officials must not assist fugitives.
Roque, who is wanted in connection with a qualified human trafficking case linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga, accused Castro of implying he was being hidden by diplomats.
“This is the problem with Harry Roque; I think he listens to gossip and doesn’t watch our content in its entirety,” Castro said during a briefing. “What we said was that as a representative of the Philippines, it would not be good to harbor a fugitive. I hope he understood what harboring means. Harboring is hiding a fugitive.”
Castro clarified that while embassy officials should not “shelter” or hide individuals from the law, they are encouraged to help fugitives return to the Philippines to face justice.
The dispute was sparked by a photo circulating on social media showing Roque with Luli Arroyo-Bernas, the Philippine Ambassador to Austria. Foreign Affairs Secretary Tess Lazaro clarified that the photo was taken in 2023 and that Roque has not entered the embassy grounds in Austria or met with any officials since he was declared a fugitive.
Castro stressed that she never accused Arroyo-Bernas of misconduct, but reiterated that harboring a fugitive would be inappropriate for any diplomat.