Manila, Philippines — Former Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s arrest depends on the government of the Netherlands.
This is what a Department of Justice official clarified regarding the inquiries on the status of Roque after an arrest warrant was formally issued against him in the Philippines.
In a chance interview, Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin L. Chan explained that the implementation of the arrest warrant is now under the Netherlands directive given Roque’s pending asylum bid in the said country.
Last week, Angeles City Regional Trial Court (RTC) formally issued a warrant of arrest against Roque and 49 others for qualified human trafficking related to the Lucky South 99 POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.
Chan, who heads DOJ’s Stateless Persons and Protection Unit, noted that there should be a decision on the asylum bid before any other proceedings can be done, as imposed the same in the Philippines.
“Dito sa Philippines, if we are faced with that scenario, kailangan matapos muna ‘yung refugee application. So may— mangunguna ‘yun above all other proceedings,” Chan noted.
He clarified that this does not mean that the warrant is on hold, rather, the authorities will have to wait for the Netherlands directive regarding this.
Since the controversy, Roque had his first public appearance in the Netherlands, following former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest.
He then requested asylum due to alleged political persecution against him in the Philippines.
Chan further noted that even the Interpol will have to wait for the decision of the Netherlands on Roque’s asylum bid before they can enact the warrant of arrest.
“When we received information on the warrant of arrest, we just informed the concerned authorities that there is a pending asylum application. We have to wait for the final resolution of the asylum bid first before we can move forward with that warrant of arrest,” he emphasized.