Makabayan solons slam Roque’s asylum bid
Roque recently announced his intention to apply for asylum in the Netherlands, despite not having an official role in the International Criminal Court proceedings against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
It can be recalled that the House of Representatives previously issued a warrant of arrest against Roque after he was cited in contempt for allegedly failing to submit documents related to the Lucky South 99 Pogo operations in Porac, Pampanga.
“Nakakagalit na ang isang dating human rights lawyer ay gagamit ng mga legal na technicality para takasan ang kanyang responsibilidad sa bayan,” Castro said.
(“It is infuriating that a former human rights lawyer is now using legal technicalities to escape his responsibility to the nation,” Castro said.)
“Ang pagtatago ni Roque sa Netherlands habang walang opisyal na papel sa ICC proceedings ay tahasang pag-iwas sa accountability,” she added.
(“Roque’s hiding in the Netherlands without any official role in the ICC proceedings is a blatant avoidance of accountability,” she added.)
Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel also condemned Roque’s actions, describing them as hypocritical.
“Sa mga kabataan, ito ang halimbawa ng kaduwagan at kawalang-prinsipyo. Ang dating abogado ng mga biktima ng human rights violations ay ngayon ay nagtatago sa ibang bansa para iwasan ang kanyang sariling mga kasalanan,” Manuel said.
(To the youth, this is an example of cowardice and lack of principles. A former lawyer of human rights victims is now hiding abroad to escape his own wrongdoings.)
Meanwhile, Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas urged Roque to face the allegations against him instead of fleeing.
“Mr. Roque, kung talagang walang bahid ang iyong konsensya, bakit ka nagtatago? Umuwi ka na at harapin mo ang mga alegasyon laban sa iyo,” Brosas said.
(Mr. Roque, if your conscience is truly clear, why are you hiding? Come back and face the allegations against you.)
“Hindi asylum ang kailangan mo kundi katapangan para harapin ang katotohanan,” she added.
(You don’t need asylum, you need the courage to face the truth.)
The Makabayan bloc also called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with Dutch authorities to deny Roque’s asylum request and ensure his return to the Philippines to face the charges.
