Manila, Philippines — The Pasig City Regional Trial Court in November 2025 approved the cancellation of former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque’s Philippine passport.
This is in relation to his alleged involvement in a qualified human trafficking case as the listed legal officer of Lucky South 99 POGO raided in Porac, Pampanga.
Among his co-accussed in Cassandra Li Ong.
The cancellation of his passport is a step to bring him back to the Philippines, given that he is in the Netherlands during the time that the decision was issued.
While Roque maintained that he did not flee as he was already out of the country when the case was filed, the Pasig RTC said that his refusal to return to the Philippines amid the cases is to be considered as fleeing.
Roque refuted the decision, arguing that there is a grave abuse of discretion in the cancellation of his passport.
Roque noted that there is no legal basis in the passport cancellation, and that it violates his freedom to travel right.
In line with this, he filed a petition before the Court of Appeals to stop the enforcement of the RTC’s rulings, with a prayer for the issuance of Temporary Restraining Order.
He likewise criticized the resolution declaring him as a fugitive from justice, citing an earlier argument about already being out of the country when the case was filed.
Citing the law, Roque emphasized that only those individuals who fled after being charged shall be considered as a fugitive.
He added that these actions violate his right to due process and presumption of innocence.
He also reiterated that he is an asylum seeker in Europe, which the court failed to consider.
Meanwhile, Roque clarified that the petition is not to evade the law but to defend his constitutional and human rights.—Mia Layaguin, Eurotv News