Adiong points out irony in embattled Roque's situation

Manila Bulletin

Don't you think Harry Roque's situation is ironic? Because Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong certainly does.  Roque, an expert on international law and a former presidential spokesperson, is seeking asylum in the Netherlands, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is located.   READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/21/adiong-points-out-irony-in-embattled-roque-s-situation  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00Well, even the Vice President Sarah Duterte, he sees the presence of Harry Roque as part

00:09of the legal team, supposedly that's the initial information that we got.

00:14Something that would cause more problem to the case itself.

00:17I think she knows, in the team she already knows, they already know that Harry Roque

00:22is bringing too much problem, if ever, that he would remain in the Netherlands.

00:26Because they understand that not only Tony Roque was cited in contempt by the Quadcom,

00:33but he also is facing a serious case here in the country, the qualified human trafficking.

00:40It's involvement in the POGO, because they have the same case with Alice Guo.

00:45So he has no business in the Netherlands anymore, considering that the legal team, no less than

00:54the Vice President says that he is not a part of the legal team.

00:58So I don't know why he remains to be in the Netherlands, apart from evading the case that

01:09he has to face here in the country, because prior to the arrest of the former President,

01:14he is already in hiding.

01:19So there was already the intent not to face not only the Quad, but not to face the court.

01:24So as a lawyer himself, he knows quite very well that he needs to respect the law, he

01:30needs to have himself presented before the court so that he can clear his name.

01:35If he continues to be elusive and evasive, and continues to go, you know, I don't know

01:43how could I qualify that up until the arrest of President Duterte.

01:48We didn't know where he was until he arrived in the Netherlands and he presented himself

01:54as one of the lawyers.

01:56So I think he has no business doing in the Netherlands, he has to come home, and he needs

02:01to face the charges before him, and that's his opportunity to clear his name.

02:07He's a lawyer, he knows how to deal with it, he can effectively defend himself before the courts.

02:15He said that he's an expert in these kinds of cases.

02:20So I don't see any reason why he keeps on running away and not face the charges being

02:27filed against him here in the Philippines.

02:29Not only the Quad, but even the more serious one, which is the qualified human trafficking.

02:39I don't think he's being persecuted here in the country.

02:45In fact, the case that was filed against him was based on an actual evidence, a hard evidence

02:50collected from Pogo, in Porac.

02:54And the fact that he was cited by the Quad, he didn't give the documents that he was asked

03:02for.

03:03Why?

03:04Because he had a business, I think.

03:05He had a business, and there was a connection with Pogo, and suddenly there was an unexplained

03:10spike of the asset of his, it was dormant at that time, his business, and then suddenly

03:17when he got intertwined with Pogo, suddenly the asset spiked.

03:22So those are the documents that we wanted him to provide.

03:25Unfortunately, upon giving us the confirmation that he will provide these documents, suddenly

03:31he didn't come and he didn't bring them.

03:33So that's the reason why he was cited in contempt.

03:37I think the question is, if, for example, his application for asylum in The Hague is

03:44denied, where would he go?

03:47That's the question.

03:50So there's no place for him, there's no place like home, Attorney Roque.

03:57So come home and face the charges.

04:01Where would you go if The Hague or Netherlands refused your appeal to asylum?

Category

Transcript

Recommended