Panelo: Harry Roque’s political persecution claim won't stand

Former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo on Wednesday said the defense of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque that he is politically persecuted will not stand as there are harsher critics of the Marcos administration who are not facing charges.

Roque previously claimed that he is a victim of political persecution as he is an ally of the Duterte family. He is currently seeking asylum in The Netherlands.

“If his basis for saying that he is politically persecuted is because he is a critic of the administration, then this claim of political persecution will not lie for the reason there are other harsher critics of the administration who are not being persecuted nor prosecuted,” Panelo said in a statement.

A regional trial court has issued arrest warrants against Roque, Cassandra Ong and 48 others for qualified human trafficking over the Lucky South 99 POGO firm in Porac, Pampanga.

Roque was accused of aiding in securing an operating license for the hub.

For his part, Panelo said that Roque should return to the Philippines and face his charges.

“The burden of proof lies on the government, he is constitutionally presumed innocent. Let the government prove its case,” Panelo said.

“If he does not come home, he will be perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be a fugitive from justice. For his own good, he has to face the music like a lawyer that he is,” he added.

Asked about Panelo's statements, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said it seems that it is only Roque who believes that he is being politically persecuted.

''Ito malamang ay ang pagtatago niya ng kaniyang maaaring liability at ang kaniyang pagsama-sama sa mga Duterte ay ginagawa niyang panangga para patunayan na mayroong political persecution pero kahit na ang kaniyang dating naging kaalyado ay hindi naniniwala sa kaniyang mga tinuran,'' Castro said in a separate briefing.

(Maybe he's concealing his possible liability and he's trying to use his link to the Dutertes to show that there's political persecution. However, his former ally doesn't believe his statements.) 

The Department of Justice is now preparing the documents needed to request the issuance of an Interpol red notice against Roque.

According to Interpol, a red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person who is wanted by a requesting member country or an international tribunal pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. —with Anna Felicia Bajo/AOL/VBL, GMA Integrated News