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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DFA: Photo between Roque, PH envoy to Austria taken in 2023

DFA: Photo between Roque, PH envoy to Austria taken in 2023

Published Jan 12, 2026 01:35 pm
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, Jan. 12, said that the circulating photo of Philippine Ambassador to Austria and Slovakia Luli Arroyo-Bernas and fugitive lawyer and former president Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque was taken in 2023.
"SFA [Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa] Lazaro has told Usec Claire that the photo was from 2023," the communications' team of the DFA told reporters.
The agency's remark came after Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro discussed in her vlog a circulating photo involving Arroyo-Bernas and Roque.
Arroyo-Bernas, Castro noted, is the daughter of Pampanga 2nd District representative and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a close ally of the Dutertes and Roque.
As some social media users speculated that the ambassador might be giving refuge to Roque, Castro just warned that "helping Roque to evade the Philippine law, it wouldn't look good for the ambassador" to do so.
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said she was alarmed upon seeing the photo of Bernas and Roque, but it was later confirmed by Lazaro that the photo was taken in 2023.
"Patungkol po doon sa larawang nagsi-circulate patungkol po kay Harry Roque at kay Ambassador Luli Arroyo-Bernas, naalarma rin po ako, personal na naalarma ako. Pero noong nakita ko po iyong larawan, mukhang hindi naman po siya iyong kasalukuyang Harry Roque na magri-reflect doon sa picture (Regarding the photo circulating involving Harry Roque and Ambassador Luli Arroyo-Bernas, I was alarmed as well—personally, I was concerned. But when I saw the photo, it did not appear to reflect the current Harry Roque)," she said.
Noting that the photograph was "being used to implicate" the ambassador, Castro directly sought Lazaro's clarification on the circulating photo.
"At tinanong po mismo natin si Secretary Tess Lazaro kung anong katotohanan dito dahil nga mukhang nababahiran ng pagbibintang kay Ambassador Luli Arroyo-Bernas na dapat ay hindi kung wala naman talagang nagaganap (We also asked Secretary Tess Lazaro directly about the matter, since it seemed the photo was being used to implicate Ambassador Luli Arroyo-Bernas inappropriately, which should not be the case because there is really nothing going on)," Castro said.
Castro also said Roque has not visited the office since 2023.
"Ayon po mismo kay Secretary Tess Lazaro ay iyong larawan na po iyon ay 2023 and since then, hindi na daw po naman nakadalaw si Secretary Harry Roque sa nasabing lugar at sa nasabing opisyal. So iyon po, hindi po siya latest na larawan (According to Secretary Lazaro, the photo is indeed from 2023, and since then, Secretary Harry Roque has not visited the said place or the official in question. So, it is not a recent photo)," Castro added.

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