The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clarified on Thursday, May 29, that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque only has one valid regular Philippine passport and that all other passports, including regular and diplomatic, issued to his name are no longer valid.
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (Screengrab from Roque's Facebook page)
“The Department of Foreign Affairs can confirm that Mr. Harry Roque holds only one valid regular Philippine passport. All other previously issued under his name have been duly cancelled in accordance with existing rules and regulations,” a statement read.
“The DFA wishes to emphasize that Filipino citizens can only have one active and valid regular passport at any given time. The only exception to this would be qualified government employees who may be issued official or diplomatic passports for use when traveling abroad on official mission,” it added.
Citing its passport database, the DFA said that Roque’s most recent passport was issued in July 2024 and is valid until July 2034. His last issued 10-year valid regular passport in 2019 was also valid until 2029, but it was “deemed cancelled upon the issuance of his most recent regular passport.”
Roque, a lawyer, earlier said that his other regular passport had to be replaced because although it was still current, it has no more blank pages.
The DFA added that as presidential spokesperson, Roque was also the bearer of a diplomatic passport from Dec. 2, 2017 to Dec. 1, 2022.
The agency’s statement came after Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed that Roque has two to three passports and that the DOJ had sought the cancellation of his passport since he is facing a nonbailable case in the Philippines.
Earlier this month, the Angeles City Regional Trial Court ordered Roque’s arrest after state prosecutors charged him and 40 others with qualified human trafficking and multiple counts of human trafficking in connection with the illegal operations of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub in Porac, Pampanga.
Lucky South 99 was raided and shut down last year amid allegations of torture, human trafficking, and scamming activities.
Roque is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands, claiming he is being politically persecuted by the Marcos administration because of his relationship with the Dutertes.
His regular passport, he added, is with the Dutch authorities as part of the asylum application process.