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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Adiong believes tri-comm revelations will sink Roque's asylum bid; here's why

Adiong believes tri-comm revelations will sink Roque's asylum bid; here's why

Published Apr 11, 2025 03:20 am

At A Glance

  • Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong believes that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque alleged connection to the "polvoron video" would undermine--rather than strengthen--the latter's application for asylum in the Netherlands.

20250411_105746.jpgHarry Roque (left), Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (PPAB)

A country probably wouldn't take in someone who brags about being good at "toppling governments".

With this reasoning, Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong believes that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque alleged connection to the “polvoron video” would undermine--rather than strengthen--the latter’s application for asylum in the Netherlands.

The controversial Roque had claimed in a Facebook livestream that the tri-committee (tri-comm) House hearings--where he was implicated in the release of a deepfake video allegedly showing President Marcos using illegal drugs--would help prove he was being politically persecuted and thus help him gain asylum.

“That revelation in itself…it could really condemn, for example legally ha, in the case of the petition or the asylum that he is applying for in the Netherlands. Kasi parte siya doon sa pag-destabilize ng isang gobyerno (Because he's part of the destabilization of a government),” Adiong said on Thursday, April 10.

The bombshell during the tri-comm hearing was the sworn affidavit of social media personality Vicente Bencalo “Pebbles” Cunanan, who claimed that Roque was the original source of the so-called polvoron video.

“Ang labis ko ding natandaan noong gabing iyon ay nang sabihin ni Atty. Roque na ‘Magaling ako magpabagsak ng gobyerno (What I remember most from that night was when Atty. Roque claimed 'I'm good at bringing down governments'),'" Cunanan told the special joint panel.

Cunanan, who identifies as a female, was referring to a "private dinner" with Roque and other vloggers in Hong Kong on July 7, 2024 that she was invited to.

"I don’t think the messaging, I mean the information that the revelation of Ms. Pebbles would add on to his defense no or his application for an asylum,” Adiong said of Roque, who had been hiding from Philippine authorities for months now.

The assistant majority leader further said that the House of Representatives' multiple invitations to Roque to attend panel hearings countered the ex-Palace mouthpiece's assertion that he is being politically persecuted.

"[The] invitation is an indication that he’s given that due process...So it is not for me a signal that this administration is really ganging up on him as what he is trying to portray online. In fact, the very purpose of that invitation is to provide him that due process that should be accorded and afforded to him as a citizen of this country,” he explained.

Adiong said Roque, as a lawyer and officer of the court, knows very well that accountability was not optional.

“Sabi ko nga, he’s a lawyer, he knows better. Rather than continue on being or pretending to be a vlogger, he’s very well aware of his rights and he should face these charges before him.”

He pointed out that Roque’s asylum bid appears more connected to the legal issues he already faces.

“The application for asylum rests very well, well much linked and connected with the charges filed against him on qualified human trafficking and also the contempt orders that was cited against him by the quad-comm.”

It was the quad-committee that cited Roque for contempt and ordered his arrest last year for allegedly withholding information from its own investigation on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

Related Tags

zia alonto adiong asylum Polvoron video Harry Roque
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