Ex-Duterte spokesman Harry Roque holds only one passport — DFA

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday said former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque only has one passport.

In a statement, the DFA said its records show that a passport was issued to Roque in July 2024 and has a validity period until July 9, 2034.

This is the latest active passport with a 10-year validity that was issued to Roque, whose full name is Herminio Harry Lopez Roque, Jr., the DFA said.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs can confirm that Mr. Harry Roque holds only one valid regular Philippine passport. All other previously issued under his name have been duly cancelled in accordance with existing rules and regulations," the DFA said.

The DFA's statement comes just days after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Roque may have multiple passports. Remulla's office, the Department of Justice (DOJ), has ordered the cancellation of Roque's "passports."

"It will limit his options. I think he holds two or three passports pa nga eh. May nagsabi sa akin ng ganoon. Ang mahalaga, talagang mapilitan siya mag-account sa kanyang mga ginawa dito at depensahan niya ang sarili niya," Remulla said.

(It will limit his options. I think he even holds two or three passports, someone told me that. What's important is that he would be forced to account for what he did here and defend himself.)

Roque later denied that he has more than one Philippine passport.

"For the record, I am currently using one regular passport, because the other regular one (still current) has no more blank pages. The Department of Foreign Affairs would certainly know that the previous current one is cancelled without prejudice… My regular passport is presently with the Dutch authorities as part of my asylum application," Roque said.

The former presidential spokesman has claimed that he was being subjected to political persecution following warrants of arrest filed against him by local courts in relation to his alleged involvement in the raided Lucky South 99 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) Hub in Porac, Pampanga.

Previous passports

Meanwhile, the DFA said Roque was also issued a regular passport on October 16, 2019, but was "deemed cancelled upon the issuance of his most recent regular passport."

"During this period, Mr. Roque was the Presidential Spokesperson and as such was also the bearer of a diplomatic passport issued on 02 December 2017 and valid until 01 December 2022," the DFA said.

"The DFA wishes to emphasize that Filipino citizens can only have one active and valid regular passport at any given time.  The only exception to this would be qualified government employees who may be issued official or diplomatic passports for use when travelling abroad on official mission," the DFA said.

A regional trial court in Angeles, Pampanga has issued an arrest warrant against Roque and 49 others for their alleged involvement in Lucky South 99.

According to Philippine authorities, the massive illegal gambling operations, involving Chinese and some other foreign nationals, have ignored local laws for violating business regulations and also committed crimes, such as financial scams, human trafficking, torture, kidnappings and murder.

Roque, who was a spokesperson for former President Rodrigo Duterte, left the country last year and is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands.

The Hague, Netherlands-based International Criminal Court had ordered Duterte's arrest through the Interpol for committing alleged crimes against humanity over deadly anti-drug crackdowns he oversaw while in office. — VDV, GMA Integrated News