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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Not a waste of funds': Palace defends hunt for Roque

'Not a waste of funds': Palace defends hunt for Roque

Published May 21, 2025 12:57 pm  |  Updated May 21, 2025 01:53 pm

At A Glance

  • Castro said searching for a "fugitive" with a standing arrest warrant was part of the government's duty and not a misuse of taxpayer money.
Malacañang defended the government’s efforts to track former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, rejecting his claim that it was a waste of public funds.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (RTVM) and lawyer Harry Roque (Facebook)

In her press briefing, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said searching for a “fugitive” with a standing arrest warrant was part of the government’s duty and not a misuse of taxpayer money.

“Ang paghahanap ng isang fugitive ay hindi pag-aaksaya ng oras (Searching for a fugitive is not a waste of time),” she said on Wednesday, May 21.

Roque, who is currently in the Netherlands and seeking political asylum, earlier claimed that the Philippine government was wasting resources by forming a tracker team to locate him. He also insisted he was being politically persecuted due to his alliance with the Duterte family.

But Castro dismissed Roque’s argument, saying even his former political allies no longer support his claims.

“Mukhang si Atty. Harry Roque na lang naman ang naniniwala sa kanyang pananaw na may political persecution (It seems only Atty. Harry Roque believes in his own claim of political persecution),” she said.

The Palace Press Officer then challenged Roque to return to the Philippines and face the charges if he was truly concerned about government spending.

“Kung sinasabi nga niya na siya ay concerned sa pondo ng bayan, hindi ba mas maganda kung mag-boluntaryo na siyang umuwi rito para hindi na siya pag-aksayahan ng oras at ng pera ng gobyerno (If he says he’s concerned about public funds, wouldn’t it be better if he voluntarily returns home so the government doesn’t waste time and money on him)?” Castro said.

Roque is facing a qualified human trafficking case and was recently issued an arrest warrant by the Regional Trial Court in Angeles, Pampanga. He is also reportedly involved in a pending land-grabbing case before the Ombudsman.

His former colleague, former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo, earlier said Roque should face the case, denying that the charges stemmed from political persecution.

Roque insists that the cases against him are politically motivated and linked to his association with former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Related Tags

Claire Castro Harry Roque political persecution
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