Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (left), lawyer Harry Roque (Facebook)

House quad-committee (quad-comm) overall chairman Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers admitted that the International Police (Interpol) can't arrest former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque by virtue of an existing contempt citation.  

“Yung jurisdiction kasi yung contempt order ng House sa Pilipinas lang yun (The jurisdiction of the contempt order by the House is confined to the Philippines)," Barbers said in an interview Monday, March 17.

Barbers was referring to the contempt citation slapped by the quad-comm against Roque in September last year. The citation came with an arrest order--something that the lawyer and one-time congressman has avoided all these months by going into hinding.

Roque surprised many when he suddenly turned up at the ICC at The Hague in the Netherlands last week, shortly after his former boss, ex-president Rodrigo Duterte was taken there by Interpol.

Duterte is facing a charge of crimes against humanity in connection with his bloody anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Barbers said of the controversial Roque, "He was cited in contempt because of his failure to cooperate and attend and honor the invitation or respect the invitation of the quad[-comm] in the investigation in aid of legislation.”

"I think Interpol will only come into the picture if there's already a case or a case has already been decided or a warrant should be served to the person or to the suspect that is not within its jurisdiction," he explained. 

The quad-comm had earlier branded Roque as a "fugitive" for his continued skipping of its hearings. However, the body doesn't have the power to charge individuals; it can merely recommend such action from government agencies.

Roque is an expert of international law.