Harry Roque seeks political asylum in the Netherlands

Former Philippine presidential spokesperson Harry Roque's statement on Facebook. HARRY ROQUE

Former Philippine presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has announced that he is seeking political asylum in the Netherlands, claiming political pressure to withdraw from defending detained former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC). “I am formally filing for asylum here in the Netherlands,” Roque stated in a Facebook post on Tuesday (March 18). He added that under international law, he is entitled to protection from deportation and prosecution for illegal entry while his asylum application is being processed. Roque’s announcement follows Duterte’s arrest and extradition to The Hague, where the latter faces charges of alleged crimes against humanity in connection with his administration’s war on drugs. The former president was taken into ICC custody after arriving in Manila from Hong Kong on Tuesday, where he had attended a campaign rally for the upcoming May elections. His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, condemned the arrest as “state kidnapping.”

Roque claims political persecution

Roque alleged that efforts to arrest him are part of a broader strategy by the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to deprive Duterte of legal representation. “Ngayon naririto na ang kaso ni (former) president Duterte, naiisip ko isa sa dahilan kung bakit nila ako ginigipit ay para mawalan ng legal representation ang presidente (Now that former president Duterte’s case is here, I realize one of the reasons they are pressuring me is to leave the president without legal representation),” he said. “I cannot come home. I have to defend my president as a member of the List of Counsels of the ICC at The Hague,” he added. Meanwhile, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Tuesday (March 18) denied Roque was being politically persecuted. “The evidence gathered by PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission) just landed in front of PAOCC without any effort. These included bank documents of Atty. Harry Roque in Lucky South 99; as well as documents of his assistant, AR dela Serna, in Lucky South 99. Third, there is also a document referring to a contract of lease with a certain manager, alleged manager of Lucky South 99.. so how could there be a political persecution if all the pieces of evidence are overwhelming?" Castro said. Lucky South 99's corporate registration was revoked by the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission last year for illegally operating a POGO facility in Pampanga. This came after its facility was raided following reports of illegal activities.

Duterte’s ICC case and legal defense

Roque is among five Filipino lawyers accredited by the ICC and has been tapped to assist in Duterte’s defense alongside former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and British lawyer Nicholas Kaufman. However, Roque admitted that the ICC has yet to officially recognize him as Duterte’s counsel. He also revealed that Vice President Sara Duterte is applying to be part of Duterte’s defense team, saying, “only because she needs access to the president and as a family member.” Roque has largely been absent from the public eye since September 2024, after a House of Representatives committee cited him for contempt for failing to attend hearings related to alleged crimes linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO). While he is under investigation by the Department of Justice, no criminal case has been formally filed against him in a Philippine court. Denying that he is a fugitive, Roque argued that he is not subject to a court-issued arrest warrant. “The arrest warrant that Congress issued is for a resource to attend a hearing and submit documents. I did not commit any crime that served as basis for the legislature’s issuance of a warrant of arrest,” he previously said. Last November, questions arose over his whereabouts after reports surfaced that his counter-affidavit in a human trafficking case was notarized in Abu Dhabi. He was later reported to have traveled to China before reappearing in The Hague last week, as Duterte was taken into ICC custody. Duterte made his first appearance before the ICC on Friday (March 14), with the court setting his confirmation of charges hearing for September 23. He faces charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019, during his controversial anti-drug campaign. His legal team, including Roque, has vowed to challenge the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that his extradition was an illegal arrest amounting to “kidnapping.” “We will raise the issue of jurisdiction before the confirmation of charges hearing on September 23,” Roque said. Supporters argue that the charges against Duterte are politically motivated, particularly with the Philippine elections approaching in May. Critics, however, say the trial is a win for human rights victims. As proceedings continue, only five Filipino lawyers are currently listed as accredited members of the ICC: Gilbert Andres, Joel Butuyan, Charles Janzen Chua, Nashmyleen Marohomsalic, and Roque. ICA/CAM/Expat Media