Harry Roque denies rumors he was arrested

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday denied reports that he was arrested abroad.

“There is no truth to the rumors that I have been arrested," Roque said in a post on Facebook.

"I have a scheduled flight to Vienna, Austria today, November 25," he added.

However, the Pasig Regional Trial Court has ordered the cancellation of Roque’s passport. 

Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that no official communication confirming his arrest was transmitted to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Despite this, Remulla said authorities have cause to arrest and turn him over to Philippine authorities “by virtue of the red notice issued by the Philippine government.”

“We will make the appropriate announcement once an official confirmation is received,” he said in a statement.

Roque was reportedly seeking asylum in the Netherlands. 

He is facing charges for qualified human trafficking in connection to the Lucky South 99 POGO firm. 

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has said that the Philippine government has requested Interpol to issue a red notice against Roque.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Roque should not be able to travel without a valid passport.

"Immigration authorities at any country can detain him for traveling without proper travel documentation. This fact is certain," Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said in a message to reporters.

However, Martinez said that the department has yet to receive official communication regarding his arrest or travel.

During budget deliberations of the Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday afternoon, Senate President Tito Sotto asked DFA officials to determine the authenticity of Roque’s reported arrest in the Netherlands.

Senator Imee Marcos, speaking on behalf of the DFA as its budget sponsor, said the department is in the process of verifying the report, saying “they had no information from the Netherlands.”   —RF, GMA Integrated News