Enforcement of Harry Roque’s arrest warrant up to Netherlands — DOJ official

The implementation of the arrest warrant issued against former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is up to the government of the Netherlands amid his pending asylum request, an official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Tuesday.

Dennis Arvin Chan, head of the DOJ Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit, issued the remark when asked if the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) can implement the arrest warrant against Roque or if the asylum bid must be resolved first.

Chan said that in the Philippines, refugee applications are prioritized.

“Dito sa Philippines, if we are faced with that scenario, kailangan matapos muna ‘yung refugee application.  So may— mangunguna ‘yun above all other proceedings,” Chan said in an ambush interview.

(Here in the Philippines, if we are faced with that scenario, the refugee application must first be completed. That will take precedence above all other proceedings.)

“Hindi ko sabing ma-on hold. It can be processed already. Now as to how it will be implemented, that is up for the Netherlands authorities on how they will treat it,” he added.

(I’m not saying it will be put on hold. It can already be processed. Now as to how it will be implemented, that is up to the Netherlands authorities on how they will treat it.)

Last week, a court issued an arrest warrant against Roque, Cassandra Ong and 48 others for qualified human trafficking in relation to the POGO firm Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.

The DOJ earlier said that the warrant may be coursed through the Interpol and other official diplomatic channels.

Roque is seeking asylum in the Netherlands. He resurfaced in The Hague following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte last March. —AOL, GMA Integrated News