A Filipino national based in the Netherlands has filed a fresh petition urging Dutch authorities to remove former Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque from the country, reviving an effort he first launched last year.
The petitioner, Joel Vega, submitted the appeal as Roque continues to seek protection in European Union states despite facing serious criminal proceedings in the Philippines. A regional trial court in Pampanga has issued an arrest warrant against Roque for non-bailable qualified human trafficking, a case tied to his alleged involvement in the operations of Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming hub that authorities previously raided over accusations that included trafficking and torture.
In the description accompanying his filing, Vega argued that Roque has taken advantage of Europe’s political environment while remaining beyond the reach of Philippine courts. “Mr. Roque has made a habit of exploiting the democratic freedoms in Europe, using these liberties to attack political adversaries back in the Philippines. Living abroad should not grant someone the opportunity to derogate others without accountability,” he wrote.
Vega also framed his petition as a response to what he described as deepening divisions in Philippine politics, saying Roque’s public interventions from abroad had further aggravated tensions. “In recent years, the Philippines has struggled with political polarization, and individuals like Mr. Roque, who sow seeds of division while benefiting from the protective cocoon of Europe’s freedom of speech, contribute to widening this divide. A nation already grappling with its democratic ideals cannot afford voices that only serve to destabilize rather than unite,” he added.
Dutch authorities had earlier rejected Roque’s request for asylum and instructed him to proceed to Austria under the European Union’s Dublin Regulation, which determines which member state is responsible for examining an asylum application.
Vega challenged the basis of Roque’s claim of persecution, pointing to his continued political activity and connections. “As a well-connected lawyer with active influence among the Duterte (former president Rodrigo Duterte) supporters, Mr. Roque’s claim of political persecution is baseless, considering that he is free to criticize the current Marcos regime, which, in the first place, came to power with the machinations of the Duterte politicians themselves and their followers,” he said.
Before seeking asylum elsewhere in Europe, Roque had been staying in the Netherlands, where Duterte is currently detained while awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague over alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
