The Philippines has requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a red notice against former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque for alleged qualified human trafficking, according to Winston Casio, spokesperson for the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).
“The Philippine government already submitted a request for a red notice, an international arrest warrant for Roque,” Casio told Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.
He scored Roque for claiming he was a victim of political persecution. “There’s nothing of that sort. Everything was based on evidence,” he added.
In a statement, the former Duterte spokesperson said he remains “under the right to non-refoulment — (which) government moves to cancel passport and seek Interpol notice will not change.”
“Because the Dutch authorities know I am an asylum seeker, the Dutch police cannot lawfully apprehend or return me to the Philippines while my asylum is pending,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PAOCC earlier said an Interpol red notice has already been issued against Ong who was last tracked in Japan.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has stepped up its efforts to apprehend Ong, the alleged business associate of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who is facing charges of qualified human trafficking linked to an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in Pampanga.
Last May, warrants of arrest were issued against Roque, Lucky South 99 representative Cassandra Ong, and 48 others for qualified human trafficking in relation to the alleged scam hub ran by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) firm Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.
According to the PAOCC, they were able to find evidence of torture, kidnapping, and sex trafficking at the site, as authorities were able to rescue at least 158 foreign employees.
Lucky South 99 has denied the allegations.
Roque was accused of helping secure an operating license for the POGO hub and was identified as the head of Lucky South 99’s legal department in its license reapplication, which was later denied by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
The former spokesperson has denied the accusation, saying he was not, and has never been, the legal counsel of any illegal POGO, nor has he ever represented Lucky South 99.
He is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands.
Criminal cases were filed the Roque and Ong in April 2025.
In a statement on Sunday, acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they were coordinating with foreign law enforcement agencies to track down Ong so she may face the charges against her in the Philippines.
Nartatez also said the PNP will be working with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) following the issuance of a red notice for both Ong and Roque.
“The PNP is committed to delivering justice to the victims of illegal Pogo hubs. Those involved in these illegal operations must face the consequences of their actions,” Nartatez said as quoted in the statement.
Despite an active arrest warrant for qualified human trafficking in the alleged scam operations at Lucky South 99, “authorities earlier reported that Ong fled to Japan early this year after her release from detention.”
Ong was initially detained in the House of Representatives during the congressional probe of POGOs, but was released during the transition into the 20th Congress before a case could be filed against her.
