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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Adiong points out irony in embattled Roque's situation

Adiong points out irony in embattled Roque's situation

Published Mar 21, 2025 01:46 am

At A Glance

  • Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong says he finds the situation of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque ironic.

20250321_080923.jpgLanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (left), Harry Roque (PPAB)

Don't you think Harry Roque's situation is ironic? Because Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong certainly does.

Roque, an expert on international law and a former presidential spokesperson, is seeking asylum in the Netherlands, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is located.

This asylum request is corollary to the lawyer's claim that he's part of the defense of the defense team of his former boss, ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, who is under trial at the ICC for crimes against humanity.

The ex-president's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, had since bared that Roque wasn't tapped to defend her dad.

“How come he is going around at some other place and wanting to defend a certain individual when he does not want to defend himself?" Adiong said about Roque during a press conference Thursday, March 20.

"That to me is ironic,” said the House assistant majority leader.

It should be noted that Roque is one of the few Filipino lawyers registered with the United Nations (UN)-backed ICC. His critics say that he's merely using the former president's predicament as an excuse to stay in the Netherlands.

But now that Roque apparently has no business anymore in the northwestern European country, Adiong advised him to simply go home and face his problems here.

“There’s no place like home,” he told Roque.

“Wala na siyang ibang pupuntahan kung halimbawa na na-refuse, na-reject 'yong kanyang application for asylum (He would have nowhere else to go if, for example, his asylum request gets rejected).

"I think he needs to face the charges against him. And as a lawyer, it's not so much on his personal choice; as a lawyer he is bound to obey the law. And he is bound to respect the law and he is bound to subject himself before the law," Adiong explained.

Roque, who is being linked to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOO), is facing serious criminal charges that involve human trafficking.

Related Tags

International Criminal Court (ICC) zia alonto adiong Netherlands Harry Roque Rodrigo Duterte
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