The Department of Justice (DOJ) said they are exploring diplomatic channels to implement the arrest warrant issued by a local court against former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
In a chance interview yesterday, Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Mico Clavano emphasized that since there is already a warrant, Roquemust be brought to court so that it can gain jurisdiction over him.
“As for Harry Roque, since he is abroad, the process will be to go through diplomatic channels. We want to clarify that this is a matter of prosecution for a crime in the Philippines. He is one of many accused in the case. He is not being singled out. We should look at this as a venue wherein he can clear his name if indeed he does believe in his innocence,” he added.
Clavano confirmed that action through Interpol “is one of the diplomatic channels that are available” to the Philippines in Roque’s case.
With regard to Roque’s asylum bid, he noted they will also “relay information to the Netherlands government to explain that this is an example of prosecution of a person just like any other Filipino who has evidence against him in a case.”
Through online posts, Roque claimed that he is a victim of “political persecution” for being a Duterte ally.
Yesterday, the Angeles City, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 118 ordered the arrest of Roque, Cassandra Ong, and 48 others in relation to the qualified human trafficking case involving the Lucky South99 Scam Hub in Porac, Pampanga.
Clavano added that the government is also mulling the issuance of a hold departure order against Ong.
As this developed, the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said that tracker teams have been dispatched to serve arrest warrants against suspects implicated in alleged human trafficking within the shuttered POGO hub, including Roque and Ong.
In a statement, the CIDG said the police deployed the tracker teams nationwide beginning Thursday.
“As of early morning today, the Tracker Teams are tracking and pursuing the 51 accused subjects of the arrest warrant, across the country,” it said.
In a separate interview with Manila Standard, lawyer Evecar Cruz-Ferrer said the Philippine government “may submit an extradition request to the Netherlands, but the latter will not grant the request during the pendency of the asylum application of Harry Roque.“
While the warrant exists, it will probably not be served since Harry Roque is out of the country, she noted.
Cruz-Ferrer, who teaches Humanitarian International Law, shared what the Netherlands will consider to be the nature of the case filed against Roque and whether the same supports his claim of persecution.
She explained the local court has no jurisdiction over the person of Harry Roque, but it has jurisdiction to hear the case.
Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros welcomed the issuance of arrest orders against Harry Roque, Cassandra Ong, and others linked to the Porac Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.
“That hub was one of the biggest scam compounds in the country. Human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, money laundering, and various other crimes were rampant. The accused must face the court,” she said.
The Senator called on Roque to return to the Philippines and face the charges, warning that his refusal would mean evading both an arrest order from Congress and a lawful court directive.
“Roque is a lawyer. He knows it is wrong to avoid the law,” Hontiveros said.