The return of former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque is still subject to discussion, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez made this clarification following the decision of a Pasig court granting the motion to cancel Roque’s passport and 4 others in relation to a human trafficking case.
“Since he’s still in a foreign nation, there’s no singular measure by which the Philippines can compel his return. Still subject to discussions with the host state… Example is the Netherlands, which does not extradite,” he told justice reporters on Monday night.
While he can file a Motion for Reconsideration, Martinez explained it does not have the legal effect of staying the court order to cancel his passport.
Martinez explained that “any accused whose passport has been cancelled is barred from leaving the country and serves as a restriction to his/her constitutional right to travel.”
As a result, their movement will be limited as they will no longer be able to exit the foreign country’s borders.
Meanwhile, if they are in an ASEAN member State, Martinez noted that the DOJ can inform the said state through the Bureau of Immigration (BI) that their passports have been cancelled.
“With no valid passport, they can also now be subjected to deportation proceedings by the host State where they may be located,” said Martinez.
