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Marcos 'retains' Roque as private counsel

Philippines | National

Marcos 'retains' Roque as private counsel

By Argyll Cyrus Geducos

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has tapped former presidential spokesman Harry Roque as his private counsel.

Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque takes a selfie with President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. in MalacaÃ±ang. (Photo from Harry Roque's Facebook page)

Roque made the announcement in a Facebook post, saying the President paid him P20 as a retainer.

"I confirm that I have been retained as private counsel of PBBM for the pricely (sic) sum of 20 pesos," Roque wrote as a caption to a photo of a 20-peso bill.

"As such, all my conversations with the President on legal matters are covered by atty-client confidentiality," he added.

Before this, Roque posted a photo of him having a "productive meeting" with President Marcos in MalacaÃ±ang on July 27. Joining them were Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Solicitor General Menardo Guevara, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

The meeting was supposedly about the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation of the drug war of the previous Duterte Administration. MalacaÃ±ang, however, had no information on the said meeting.

According to Roque, he was at the meeting as a private counsel.

Despite this, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles could not confirm if Marcos did hire Roque.

"As you know, any communication between attorney and client is privileged and therefore confidential. Therefore, we cannot even confirm whether or not he has been hired as counsel," she said.

"That will be really up to the client to make the announcement, and no such announcement has been made yet," she added.

Roque ran for senator under Marcos' UniTeam lineup in the 2022 polls. He, however, lost.

Related Tags

Bongbong Marcos Harry Roque private counsel International Criminal Court ICC President Marcos

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