FORMER presidential spokesperson Harry Roque may be deported from the Netherlands if his asylum request is denied, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
This follows the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) move to cancel Roque’s passport amid charges of qualified human trafficking—a nonbailable offense—linked to the operations of Lucky South 99, a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga.
Remulla, however, did not state which court the DOJ filed the request.
The hub was raided last year due to reports of torture, trafficking, and online scams.
Roque, now the subject of an arrest warrant, is accused alongside over 40 others.
Prosecutors allege he played a role in organizing the operation and claim his involvement in lobbying for Lucky South 99’s gaming license contradicts his defense that he only represented a separate entity, Whirlwind. DOJ officials assert that both companies operated as one.
Roque has filed a motion for reconsideration, stating there is no evidence linking him to trafficking and calling the passport cancellation premature. He claims the charges are politically motivated, aimed at silencing him as a critic of the Marcos administration.
Remulla said the Netherlands is unlikely to grant asylum due to its strong stance against human trafficking, and deportation could follow if asylum is denied.
