DOJ moves to cancel Harry Roque’s passports

Former Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. Photo from Harry Roque Facebook page

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has already filed a motion to cancel the passports of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, said Sec. Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday.

Remulla made the pronouncement as Roque continues to refuse coming back to the country despite being the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a Pampanga court for qualified human trafficking.

READ: DOJ to work on cancelation of Roque’s passport

According to Remulla, the motion to cancel Roque’s passports was filed on Friday.

“It would limit his options. I believe he even holds two or three passports—someone mentioned that to me. What’s important is that he’s compelled to answer for what he did here and defend himself,” Remulla, speaking in mixed Filipino and English, said in a chance interview with reporters.

“Things haven’t even started yet, and he’s already trying to escape. Under our laws, flight is an indication of guilt. That’s why I hope he just faces the situation so it would make things easier for the country,” he added.

Asked what would happen if his passports get canceled, Remulla responded that it would render Roque an undocumented alien.

Request for asylum

This, however, would also depend on whether the Netherlands will grant his request for asylum.

“But I doubt it because the Netherlands is one of the countries that goes against human trafficking which is the charge against Harry Roque,” said Remulla.

Should Roque’s application for asylum be denied, Remulla said the former presidential spokesperson will then have to be deported.

Roque (and several other accused including Cassandra Ong) is facing an arrest warrant for violation of Section 4(1), in relation to Section 6 (c) of Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

The warrant was based on a qualified human trafficking case filed by the Department of Justice against Roque and several others for their alleged involvement in the operations of scam hub Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.

The DOJ noted Roque’s participation was not just limited to being a lawyer for Whirlwind Corporation—the company which leased land to Lucky South 99—but was also the representative of the Pogo./mr