Will Roque get asylum? DOJ says government won't interfere

MANILA, Philippines — If former human rights lawyer Harry Roque has indeed applied for asylum, the Philippine government will not interfere, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. 

In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, November 26, chief state counsel Dennis Chan explained that asylum applications are "confidential in nature."

He said that when someone from the country applies for asylum, the Philippine government will neither be informed about it, nor will it be allowed to participate, as it defeats "the very purpose of an asylum application."

"Hindi mo nga dapat pinapaalam sa bansa na tinataguan mo na 'nag-a-apply ako.' Because you put yourself further at risk if you are indeed suffering from persecution," Chan explained. 

(You shouldn't let the country you are hiding from know that 'I am applying.' Because you put yourself further at risk if you are indeed suffering from persecution.)

The chief state counsel further explained that the asylum application is an individual process.

"One-on-one 'yan between the applicant and the party or the office evaluator," he said. 

Despite Roque revealing that he is applying for asylum, Chan emphasized that the government will not seek comment from the mother state to validate the information. 

On Tuesday, November 25, reports circulated that Roque was arrested in the Netherlands. 

The DOJ and the Department of the Interior and Local Government said there has been no confirmation of the arrest. Roque also said he was not arrested and is en route to Vienna, Austria.

However, in a video statement, Roque said he was disembarked from the plane, and his trip to Vienna didn't push through.

He also relayed that the Dutch government informed him that the responsibility for providing him protection rests with the Austrian government since Austria had issued his visa.

On November 24, a Pasig Regional Trial Court canceled Roque's passport along with the passport of Lucky South 99 representative Cassandra Ong.

This is over the qualified trafficking in persons charges filed against them in connection with the alleged unlawful activities of Philippine offshore gaming operators in Porac, Pampanga.