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Bella Cariaso - The Philippine Star
May 31, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque belittled reports he will be the next to be sent back to the Philippines, after expelled Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr.
“The question is, am I next (after Teves)? They can try, but they will have difficulties in extraditing me,” Roque said in a video message on his Facebook page.
A court in Angeles City, Pampanga has issued a warrant for Roque’s arrest, and several others, for qualified human trafficking over their alleged involvement in the criminal activities of Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming operator in Porac, which has been shut down by the government.
“The case of Teves is multiple murder, while my case is qualified human trafficking. There is no witness against me that I was involved in recruitment. There is no evidence that I connived (with others) for human trafficking. So, there is a big difference (between my case and Teves),” Roque said.
He added, while their cases are both non-bailable, the asylum of Teves in Timor-Leste was already denied, while his application for asylum in the Netherlands is still pending.
“Since Netherlands is a member of the Convention on the Right of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, they cannot allow that I will be brought back to the Philippines until the process of my asylum is finished,” he said.
According to Roque, even his passport is canceled and he has been declared as an undocumented alien. The office that will handle his deportation is also the same entity that is handling his application for asylum.
“There is no reason for the Netherlands to surrender me. In short, it is not true that I will be the next,” he maintained.
