Online petition vs Roque’s asylum request gets over 21,000 signatures
Former Palace spokesperson Harry Roque talks to journalists outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) ahead of the hearing of former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague on March 14, 2025. —Photo by Nicolas Tucat | Agence France-Presse
MANILA, Philippines — The online petition seeking to block the application for asylum of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in the Netherlands has gathered more than 21,000 signatures as of Wednesday evening.
It was initiated by Filipino-Dutch writer Joel Vega over the weekend. He also sent a formal letter to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Services explaining why Roque’s asylum application must be rejected.
READ: Harry Roque seeking asylum to avoid further Pogo questioning – Palace
“Our petition has breached the 21,000 mark. Maraming salamat po sa lahat! We are considering closing the petition this coming Friday, after a week. We made our point,” Vega said in a Facebook post around 8 p.m.
READ: Roque says asylum request received by the Netherlands
Roque followed former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, Netherlands, after his arrest last March 11. Roque is not part of Duterte’s legal team.
The former president is currently detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, pending trial for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his administration’s drug war.
