The Department of Justice is pushing forward with the cancellation of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s passport following reports that his asylum application in the Netherlands has been rejected.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed Wednesday that Roque is now believed to be in Germany after his bid for asylum in the Netherlands was supposedly denied. “Ang alam ko hindi siya nabigyan ng asylum ng Netherlands kaya nasa Germany na ang pagbibigay nito kung sakali,” he said.
The DOJ had earlier filed a request to revoke Roque’s passport so he can be held accountable for a qualified human trafficking case linked to alleged involvement in illegal POGO operations. Remulla noted that if Roque ends up undocumented, international authorities could step in. “Pag naging undocumented alien iyan ay pwede ng kunin ng Interpol,” he added.
Despite the report, Roque fired back and called the claims “fake news,” accusing the Marcos Jr. administration of spreading false information through the DOJ.
“Strike two na ang DOJ Secretary. Una, sinabi niya mayroon daw akong multiple passports. Ngayon, denied asylum. Ano ito? Nakalap ang impormasyon sa usapang Maritess,” Roque said.
He clarified that his trip to Germany was unrelated to any asylum application and that he has since returned to the Netherlands. “My trip to Germany was a pre-planned activity… I am now back at the Hague in the Netherlands,” Roque said.
Remulla acknowledged that Roque, while still holding valid documentation, can move freely across EU countries. However, he warned that the situation could change once the passport cancellation is finalized and Roque becomes an undocumented individual.
