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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Interpol's arrest of Harry Roque depends on his asylum bid in Netherlands – DOJ

Interpol's arrest of Harry Roque depends on his asylum bid in Netherlands – DOJ

Published May 20, 2025 01:21 pm

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) may have to wait for the Netherlands to deny the asylum application of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque before arresting him, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday, May 20.

“Dito sa Philippines, if we are faced with that scenario, kailangan matapos muna ‘yung refugee application (In the Philippines, if we are faced with that scenario, we will have to wait for the termination of the refugee status application),” Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin L. Chan told journalists.

Chan, who heads the DOJ’s Stateless Persons and Protection Unit, said the asylum or refugee status application must come first before all other proceedings.

Chan’s statement was issued in response to queries on the enforcement of the arrest warrants issued by the Angeles City Regional Trial Court (RTC) against Roque and his co-accused for non-bailable qualified human trafficking charges in connection with the alleged criminal activities of Lucky South 99, a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga that has been shut down by the government.

Roque had previously admitted that he has sought asylum before the Netherlands against what he claimed as political persecution he is facing in the Philippines.

“When we received information on the warrant of arrest, we just informed the concerned authorities that there is a pending asylum application,” Chan said.

“We have wait for the final resolution of the asylum bid first before we can move forward with that warrant of arrest,” he also said.  

If there is no request for an arrest, Chan said the state has no obligation to inform the government that one of its nationals is seeking asylum.

“Ang concept nga ng refugee application is you are trying to evade or avoid persecution so ‘di mo dapat pinapaalam na you are undergoing an asylum application (The concept of refugee application is you are trying to evade or avoid persecution so you are not supposed to say you are undergoing an asylum application),” he explained.

In determining whether an asylum application should be granted or not, Chan said “it has to fall under any of the five grounds under 1951 Convention – persecution due to religion, race, gender, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.”

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