‘Sorry, I cannot come home’: Harry Roque seeks asylum in the Netherlands

Manila Bulletin

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday, March 17, that he will seek political asylum in the Netherlands, where former president Rodrigo Duterte is currently detained for crimes against humanity of murder.  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/17/sorry-i-cannot-come-home-harry-roque-seeks-asylum-in-the-netherlands  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

00:00So I'm sorry, I cannot come home.

00:06I have to defend my president.

00:09Well, my petition to the Supreme Court was rejected to declare a violation of the Constitution

00:15in the investigation that they are doing.

00:17And there is no basis in asking for the documents that they are asking for.

00:21I am saying it again and again, I am not avoiding it.

00:24I am hoping that the Supreme Court will decide

00:28and we will follow the decision of the Supreme Court.

00:31Let me repeat, I am saying fake news

00:34because I am avoiding an arrest warrant issued by a judge.

00:39The arrest warrant issued by the Congress is only for a resource person

00:43to go to a police station and submit documents.

00:48I did not commit a crime based on issuing a warrant of arrest by the legislature.

00:54Well, I am formally announcing that after our meeting today,

00:57I am filing formally for asylum here at the Netherlands.

01:00As soon as my application for asylum is received,

01:04I do have the rights to non-refoume.

01:06Non-refoume under international law means,

01:08number one, non-deportation until the investigation is completed

01:13if I am entitled to asylum status.

01:15And number two, non-prosecution for illegal entry.

01:18But my entry is legal because I have a visa.

01:21But I believe that the warrant of arrest issued by the Comrade Representative of the WAD Committee

01:26will be proven by an unjust prosecution

01:29because here in Europe, the warrant of arrest is unheard of

01:34and the lifetime is indefinite, number one.

01:38Number two, there is no bail.

01:40And number three, it is clear that this is an investigation in Pogo

01:46that they wanted to link the former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

01:52And it is clear, in my opinion, the political motivation behind the investigation on the Pogo

01:58because the WAD Committee is saying that the President is the one who legalized the Pogo operation

02:03even if it has always been there since the time of the Aquino government.

02:08So I am confident that I can prove political persecution through unjust prosecution of the WAD Committee.

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