Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who faces a standing contempt order from the House of Representatives in the Philippines, has announced his intention to seek asylum in the Netherlands.
Speaking to reporters, Roque said he could not return to the Philippines and would be filing for asylum to continue defending former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“I’m formally announcing that after a meeting today, I’m filing for asylum here in the Netherlands. As soon as my asylum application is received, I will have rights to non-refoulement,” Roque said.
According to him, non-refoulement under international law guarantees that he cannot be deported while his asylum application is under review and also shields him from prosecution for illegal entry.
Earlier on Monday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro challenged Roque to return to the Philippines after he was seen in the Hague.
At least two leaders of the House Quad Committee also want the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to explain how was able to leave the Philippines despite a contempt and detention order issued by the mega-panel against him last September for skipping its hearings.
Quad Comm co-chairperson and ABANG LINGKOD Party List Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano said he will move to invite the representatives of the DFA and the BI in the mega-panel’s next hearing, tentatively scheduled on Friday.
Roque however has disputed this, saying that “the arrest warrant issued by Congress was only for a resource person to attend a meeting and submit documents… I have not committed any crime that would justify the issuance of a warrant of arrest by the Legislature.”
He further claimed that the investigation into POGOs was politically motivated and aimed at discrediting Duterte.
“And it’s clear to me that there’s a political motivation behind the investigation on POGOs because the Quad committee is saying that President [Duterte] legalized the operation of POGOs, even though it’s been there since the time of the Aquino government,” he said, adding that one of the reasons he is being targeted is to deprive the former President of legal representation.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Harry Roque to seek political asylum in the Netherlands”