Harry Roque asks CA to issue TRO vs. cancellation of passport

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has asked the Court of Appeals (CA) to issue a temporary restraining order against the cancellation of his passport, his camp said Friday.

In a statement, Roque’s office said he sought the TRO to stop the enforcement of the ruling of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) that cancelled his passport and declared him a fugitive from justice.

“The cancellation of my passport and the label of ‘fugitive’ were imposed without legal basis and in violation of my fundamental rights,” Roque stated in his filing.

In November 2025, the Pasig court ordered the cancellation of his passport amid his human trafficking case over the Lucky South 99 POGO firm in Pampanga.

According to his camp, Roque argued that the RTC committed grave abuse of discretion in ordering its cancellation. He said his constitutional right to due process, presumption of innocence, and freedom of travel had been violated.

Further, he said that the cancellation of his passport has no basis under the New Philippine Passport Act.

He also argued that he is not a fugitive from justice as he left the country before charges were filed against him.

Aside from this, the former official’s camp said he is seeking asylum in Europe.

He previously sought asylum in The Netherlands. However, Roque later said Dutch authorities told him that it would be up to the Austrian government to give him protection because it was the latter that gave him his visa.

In March, the SC dismissed Roque’s petition challenging his arrest during the House Quad Committee’s investigation into POGOs, saying it was rendered moot. — BAP, GMA News