Roque drops senate bid, to run as party-list congressman
Published Oct 15, 2018 04:44 pm
By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
Former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque is abandoning his plans to pursue a senatorial slot, saying he will instead be running for a seat at the House of Representatives to represent the Luntian Party-list.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
(Jansen Romero/ MANILA BULLETIN) Roque made the statement in his last appearance in Malacañang Monday, a week after pondering whether he will stay with President Duterte or pursue a career in public office. In his statement, Roque said he heeded the advice of the President to instead run for congressman, He said his decision to represent an environmental party-list group was inspired by the recent disasters, particularly the landslides caused by Typhoon Ompong. "I’d like to wish my successor Secretary Salvador Panelo all the very best and to all the members of the MPC (Malacañang Press Corps). This is a temporary 30. You will see me, Harry Roque, bounce back into public life. So again, thank you very much and may our paths cross again," he said. "I took his advice that the best option right now is to go back to Congress which really was one of my options. Masikip talaga ang Senado (The Senate is congested)," he added. Roque also said that if he wins, he will push for President Duterte's advocacy to ban open-pit mining in the country, noting the many lives that are put at risk because of it. From Senate back to House According to Roque, his low ratings in the senatorial surveys played a big role in his decision to pursue a seat at the House of Representatives anew. "I knew that it would be a very difficult climb to the Senate if I were to persist. My problem too was we had three consecutive surveys and only the awareness was increasing, not the conversion," he said. "It was really a hard reality to accept that perhaps we need to do more to convince the people that we are worthy for the Senate," he added. Roque, who was also known as a human rights lawyer, then said that he has knowledge on environment, which he claimed is a matter of human rights. "Without the environment, without ecology, we would not have life that would enable the realization of all other rights," he said. Not dropped Meanwhile, Roque also said that despite recent developments, he was not dropped by President Duterte and that they parted ways in very good terms. "I’ve always intended to file a COC for this year’s elections. The President knew it, I knew it," he said. "If there was a change in plan, well it was the offer to become press secretary which completely became unexpected and for which I am very much grateful and flattered. But it’s very difficult to change plans when you have your eyes set on it and when you have basically devoted and made an effort towards realization of that plan," he added. The former Palace spokesperson also said Duterte respected his views despite him criticizing Duterte before. He said he can now go to his old self and freely express his views, something he said he could not do as the President's mouthpiece. Not fit as press secretary Roque said he decided to decline Duterte's offer to become the press secretary given his lack of expertise preparation to handle the said position. "I was surprised that the offer came for press secretary, I do not know if it is still the best option," he said. "It was also daunting, I did not think that I was the best person for that job because I really am not from the press," he added. Roque noted of the different duties of a press secretary which include heading all the state information infrastructure, like TV station, an actual news agency, and an actual news bureau. "I never had any experience really as a journalist. So to me it was a very good offer for which I am grateful but it’s really a post that I did not feel that I had adequate training for, that’s the truth," he said.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque(Jansen Romero/ MANILA BULLETIN) Roque made the statement in his last appearance in Malacañang Monday, a week after pondering whether he will stay with President Duterte or pursue a career in public office. In his statement, Roque said he heeded the advice of the President to instead run for congressman, He said his decision to represent an environmental party-list group was inspired by the recent disasters, particularly the landslides caused by Typhoon Ompong. "I’d like to wish my successor Secretary Salvador Panelo all the very best and to all the members of the MPC (Malacañang Press Corps). This is a temporary 30. You will see me, Harry Roque, bounce back into public life. So again, thank you very much and may our paths cross again," he said. "I took his advice that the best option right now is to go back to Congress which really was one of my options. Masikip talaga ang Senado (The Senate is congested)," he added. Roque also said that if he wins, he will push for President Duterte's advocacy to ban open-pit mining in the country, noting the many lives that are put at risk because of it. From Senate back to House According to Roque, his low ratings in the senatorial surveys played a big role in his decision to pursue a seat at the House of Representatives anew. "I knew that it would be a very difficult climb to the Senate if I were to persist. My problem too was we had three consecutive surveys and only the awareness was increasing, not the conversion," he said. "It was really a hard reality to accept that perhaps we need to do more to convince the people that we are worthy for the Senate," he added. Roque, who was also known as a human rights lawyer, then said that he has knowledge on environment, which he claimed is a matter of human rights. "Without the environment, without ecology, we would not have life that would enable the realization of all other rights," he said. Not dropped Meanwhile, Roque also said that despite recent developments, he was not dropped by President Duterte and that they parted ways in very good terms. "I’ve always intended to file a COC for this year’s elections. The President knew it, I knew it," he said. "If there was a change in plan, well it was the offer to become press secretary which completely became unexpected and for which I am very much grateful and flattered. But it’s very difficult to change plans when you have your eyes set on it and when you have basically devoted and made an effort towards realization of that plan," he added. The former Palace spokesperson also said Duterte respected his views despite him criticizing Duterte before. He said he can now go to his old self and freely express his views, something he said he could not do as the President's mouthpiece. Not fit as press secretary Roque said he decided to decline Duterte's offer to become the press secretary given his lack of expertise preparation to handle the said position. "I was surprised that the offer came for press secretary, I do not know if it is still the best option," he said. "It was also daunting, I did not think that I was the best person for that job because I really am not from the press," he added. Roque noted of the different duties of a press secretary which include heading all the state information infrastructure, like TV station, an actual news agency, and an actual news bureau. "I never had any experience really as a journalist. So to me it was a very good offer for which I am grateful but it’s really a post that I did not feel that I had adequate training for, that’s the truth," he said.