The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque holds only one valid passport, after he refuted the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) claim that he had up to three.
“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 clarified in a statement.
The agency said their database indicates that although Roque was issued a regular passport on October 16, 2019 with a 10-year validity period, it has been cancelled since he was provided with his latest passport.
This passport is dated July 2024, with a validity period ending in July 9, 2034.
While he held the regular 2019 passport, he served as the presidential spokesperson and hence also bore a diplomatic passport, issued on December 2, 2017. It was valid only until December 1, 2022.
“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.
Speaking with DZRH, Roque said he had his 2019 passport replaced as it had run out of pages.
“Mayroon po talaga akong passport na ang expiration ay 2029. Pero ‘yun po ay kanselado na, kasi nga po, wala nang pahina, kaya kumuha ako ng bagong passport noong Hulyo 2024. At ‘yan po ngayon ang valid until 2034,” he said.
(I really had a passport which expires in 2029. But that has been cancelled. Because it does not have pages left, I got a new passport in July 2024. That is valid until 2034.)
DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Monday that he has filed a motion to cancel Roque’s passports, and that he was told he may have “two or three.”
During the interview, Roque said making such claims is a criminal offense as it falls under libel.
“‘Yan po talaga ay isang krimen. ‘Yan po ay isang libel, dahil ‘yung pagsabi nilang madami akong passport, ‘yan po ay paglabag sa Passport Act, at ‘yan po ay pagpaparatang na gumawa ako ng isang krimen, na hindi naman totoo,” he stated.
(That is really a crime. That is libel, as their claim that I possess many passports, which is a violation of the Passport Act, is an accusation that I have committed a crime, which is not true.)
However, he does not intend to file a retaliatory libel complaint, as he does not believe criminal libel should be treated as a crime. In light of this false claim on the DOJ’s end, Roque hopes the court will heed him when he says nothing he has done warrants a non-bailable offense.
“Well, kasi ‘yung DOJ din ang nagsabi na mayroon daw ebidensya laban sa’kin para sa qualified trafficking. Ngayong napatunayan na natin na hindi naman sila nag-aaral kung ano talagang ebidensya, e sana, no, ang hukuman makinig sa’tin kapag dumulog tayo sa hukuman at sabihing wala talagang kahit anong ebidensya laban sa’kin para magkaroon ng non-bailable offense,” he said.
(Well, it is also the DOJ who said there is evidence against me for qualified trafficking. Now that we have proven they do not properly examine what is really evidence, I hope the court will listen to us when we come before them and say that there is no such evidence against me to entail a non-bailable offense.)
An arrest warrant has been issued against Roque, Cassandra Ong, and others on May 8 for alleged human trafficking in connection to the Lucky South 99 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga.
