Atty. Harry Roque, September 7, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Malacanang on Friday again urged lawyer Harry Roque to return to the Philippines and answer allegations against him, especially now that he was no longer part of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal team.

“Siguro po, mas maganda po talaga since hindi naman po siya parte ng legal team ni dating Pangulong Duterte, hindi po ba iyan ang kaniyang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya uuwi. Mas maganda pong umuwi muna siya dito at patunayan niya po talaga na siya po ay walang kasalanan,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.

“Sabi nga po natin, siya mismo po ang nag-amin, siya po mismo – galing sa kaniyang bibig ang mga kuwento, ang mga dokumentong kaniyang sinabi sa Quad Comm hearing. Hindi po ba mas maganda na siya na rin po ang mag-present nito para mapatunayan niyang siya ay malinis.”

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Roque, who had served as Duterte’s Palace spokesperson, is facing an arrest warrant from the House Quad Committee in connection with its probe on the illegal operations of POGOs. He recently announced that he was seeking asylum in the Netherlands.

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Malacanang had denied allegations that Roque was politically persecuted in the Philippines.

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