MANILA – Former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque said the warrant of arrest issued against him for alleged qualified human trafficking is evidence of political harassment.
According to Roque, the Marcos administration are really ganging up at him for his close relations with the Dutertes and to dampen his asylum request in Netherland.
“’Yan ay po talaga ay ebidensya ng panggigipit sa akin dahil paano magiging kriminal ang pagiging abogado?” the former Palace spokesperson said in an interview with SMNI’s Banateros program.
A court has ordered the arrest of Roque and several others over alleged human trafficking linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro said that, instead of blaming the government, Roque should just answer the allegations against him.
“‘Yan naman po naman talaga ang kanyang magiging naratibo, ang kanyang depensa, pero hindi niya sinasagot ng mabuti kung nasaan ‘yung mga dokumento na kanyang ipinangako sa House of Representatives,” Castro said in a media briefing at the Malacañang Palace on Friday.
“At maging ‘yung sinasabi na diumano ay hidden wealth niya ay hindi niya sinasagot, so papaano magkakaron ng political persecution. At tandaan po natin korte mismo ang nag issue ng valid warrant of arrest na qualified human trafficking,” she added.
Aside from Roque, also accused is Katherine “Cassandra” Li Ong, a known figure in the POGO industry, who is believed to have held a key administrative role in Lucky South 99.
“Ang tanging dahilan kaya raw ako nadawit ay dahil ako daw po ay nag follow-up doon sa pending application ng isang legal na POGO naman po noong mga panahon na ‘yon,” said Roque.
“So sa akin po, wala talagang basehan para ako’y kasuhan. Ang pagkakaso pong ‘iyan ay ebidensya na ako’y ginigipit dahil sa aking paniniwalang pulitikal, dahil sa aking katapatan sa mga Duterte,” he added.
Roque also said that, despite the issuance of a warrant of arrest, an accused individual still has recourse, such as filing a motion for reconsideration before the Department of Justice or appealing to the Court of Appeals to invalidate the prosecutors’ resolution that led to the filing of charges./PN
