Former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque 

MANILA, Philippines – A day after announcing his plan of seeking political asylum in the Netherlands as part of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team, Vice President Sara Duterte said former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque will not be one of her father’s lawyers in his case pending before the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

“So far, hindi siya kasama sa legal team, hindi pa kasi na establish kung ano ‘yung basis ng ‘pag stay niya dito sa Netherlands and we don’t want complications,” the Vice President told reporters at The Hague. 

Roque is an international law expert and one of the only five ICC-accredited Filipino lawyers. 

According to the Vice President, the defense team is headed by British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman. 

The younger Duterte is still set to interview one more lawyer and once the ICC defense team completes structure, former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, the first lawyer to be recognized for the former president who represented him at the Pre-trial Chamber 1 hearing will withdraw. 

“Unang-una, his team is headed by Atty. Nicholas Kauffman, and then meron pa akong kakausapin na mga lawyers, meron pang darating na isang abogado, ininterview ko siya para sumali sa team and once na maayos na yung team for ICC, mag wi-withdraw si Atty. Medialdea kasi meron lang limited na mga slots for lawyers and we want all the lawyers on board na merong ICC experience,” the Vice President said.  

“Gusto namin nakatutok talaga yung lawyers doon sa kaso,” she said. 

‘I cannot come home, I have to defend my president’

In a virtual press conference, Roque said he cannot return to the Philippines because he had to defend the former president in his ICC case. 

After months of hiding, Roque suddenly showed up at the Netherlands together with the vice president and Sen. Robin Padilla to visit the former leader and establish his defense team. 

Calls for Roque’s return to the Philippines echoed once again as his pending warrant of arrest from the House of Representatives Quad Committee over his failure to submit documents explaining the supposed wealth increase is still in effect. 

Yesterday, Roque said was on his way to file for an application for asylum at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service, a Dutch government agency handling the admission of foreigners in the Netherlands. 

“As soon as my application for asylum is received. I do have the rights for non-refoulement,” Roque said. 

Non-refoulement is a principle under international human rights where a person would be given protection against deportation until investigation concludes as well as non-prosecution for illegal entry. 

Roque said his entry is legal because he is a valid visa holder. 

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