Harry Roque’s asylum bid denied, says Remulla

MANILA, Philippines — The application for asylum of Harry Roque, former spokesperson for then-President Rodrigo Duterte, has been denied, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday.

Roque is wanted over human trafficking charges in connection with an alleged Philippine offshore gaming operator in Pampanga.

Roque is reportedly in Austria seeking asylum, citing political persecution.

READ: Remulla confident of catching Dela Rosa, Roque

“Na-deny ang asylum [application] ni Harry Roque. Tapos na yung five months eh. Kung may [International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)] red notice na, kukunin ko siya,” Remulla said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

(Harry Roque’s asylum application has been denied. His five months are up. Once there’s a red notice against him, I’ll get him.)

An Interpol red notice is a request to all law enforcement agencies worldwide to “locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.”

Remulla could not immediately say which country had denied Roque’s asylum.

He further told the Inquirer in a text message that the five-month period he was referring to was “the usual time for processing [an asylum application.]”

READ: Roque disputes Remulla, says Austria asylum bid still pending

In a statement later on Tuesday, Roque denied that his asylum bid had been rejected.

“This is fake news,” Roque stressed.

“There is no such rule that automatically converts the passage of six months into a denial of an asylum application,” he explained.

“Until the Austrian authorities themselves issue a decision on my application, claims that my asylum bid has already been denied are false and misleading,” he added.

The Inquirer sought further comment from Remulla, but he has yet to respond. /gsg/dl