Roque graciously accepts failed ILC bid; here's what he said
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque has graciously accepted his failure to secure one of the 34 vacant seats of the International Law Commission (ILC).

In a series of tweets before dawn Saturday, Nov. 13, Roque thanked the people that helped him in his bid, which he described as a "challenging campaign".
"My candidature at the ILC was a challenging campaign throughout but we met it head on. Unfortunately, we did not succeed. I thank President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, for his nomination and unwavering support of my candidature," he tweeted.
Just minutes before this, local news sites broke reports that Roque didn't get enough votes from the United Nations (UN) members that had been tasked to fill in the ILC.
Adding insult to injury was that reportedly, the Palace mouthpiece garnered the least number of votes--87--in the bloc that the Philippines belonged to.
"I thank the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the officers and staff of the Philippines’ Permanent Mission to the United Nations, for their steadfast professionalism and support," tweeted Roque, a former congressman.
"I thank my own staff for helping me continue to discharge my function as presidential spokesperson, even as I campaigned, and despite the difference in time zones. Thank you, my family and friends," he added.
Finally, Roque wished the newly-elected new members of the ILC success, "especially as they tackle challenging issues such as rising sea levels and vaccine equality - issues which I will continue to advocate for as well".
To say that Roque invested significant time and resources in his ILC bid is an understatement. He flew to the United States (US) twice in less than a month's time, even as he pondered his immediate political future in the Philippines.
He even defended his nomination from fellow Filipino lawyers who assailed him for his desire to join the ILC.
His ILC campaign became somewhat controversial when militant rallyists branded him as an alleged "war criminal" while he was attending a function in New York. The accusation mainly stems from Roque's association with President Duterte, who is known for his bloody war on illegal drugs.