PNP coordinating with Interpol for Harry Roque arrest

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is coordinating with the Interpol to arrest former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque who has been linked to a qualified trafficking in persons case.

In a press conference, newly installed PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III said that the communication with the Interpol is a standard action.

“Standard naman 'yun. This is a whole government approach. The Department of Foreign Affairs is cancelling his passport and the other accused so they will not be able to travel freely at sila ay maibalik dito sa bansa,” Torre said.

(That’s standard. This is a whole government approach. The DFA is canceling his passport and those of the other accused so they will not be able to travel freely and they will be returned to the country.)

“So Interpol is just one of the many mechanisms that we can use and we can harness, we can tap para sa pagbabalik dito, sa repatriation niya dito sa Pilipinas,” he added.

(So Interpol is just one of the many mechanisms that we can use, we can harness, we can tap for his return, his repatriation to the Philippines.)

The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier said it was already preparing the documents needed to request the issuance of a red notice against Roque by Interpol.

Roque and 50 others are subjects of arrest warrants in connection with the illegal activities in POGO hub Lucky South 99 in Pampanga. Two of the accused were already arrested.

Roque, who has denied the accusation, is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands.

In a statement, Roque earlier said the issuance of the arrest warrant forms part of the "unjust prosecution," which he intends to note in his asylum application in the Netherlands.

Other high-profile wanted persons

Asked about other high-profile wanted persons such as former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag who is linked to the murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid in 2022, Torre said the PNP is “all out” for their capture.

“All out naman tayo diyan sa ating operations against wanted persons. Talagang tuloy-tuloy tayo diyan. Matter of time before we get them. We'll re-examine the base data we have, kung ano ang mga alam na natin sa kanila, at tututukan natin yan,” he said.

(We are all out in our operations against wanted persons. We are definitely continuing to do so. It is a matter of time before we get them. We'll re-examine the base data we have, what we already know about them, and we will focus on that.)

“We are really very committed to ensuring that the people hiding from the law will be brought to justice and we will definitely bring them back within the bounds of the law,” he added.

Bantag has denied the allegations against him, claiming they were all "fabricated." —KG, GMA Integrated News