MANILA — The Philippines will block the asylum application of lawyer Harry Roque in the Netherlands once an arrest warrant against him is issued in relation to his human trafficking case, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.

On Monday, the DOJ filed non-bailable qualified human trafficking and regular human trafficking cases against Roque, a former Duterte spokesperson, and other individuals before the Angeles City Regional Trial Court.

The cases involve Roque’s alleged participation not just as a lawyer for Whirlwind Corporation but as a supposed representative of Lucky South 99, a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator or POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga. 

Roque faces qualified trafficking cases before Angeles City court

In December last year, Roque filed his counter-affidavit from the United Arab Emirates and denied being the lawyer of Lucky South 99. 

"Binigyan na ako mismo ng instruction ni [Justice] Secretary [Jesus Crispin] Remulla na kapag lumabas na 'yung warrant of arrest ay magsulat na sa pamahalaan ng the Netherlands at ... ipaalam sa kanila na may ganitong kaso, may warrant si Harry Roque," DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said in an interview on TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

Ty nevertheless noted that in asylum proceedings, the country where a person applied for asylum will reach out to their home country "to get their side."

Roque finds relief in the Netherlands: 'Wala nang tago nang tago'

He added that once the warrant of arrest is issued for Roque, the Philippine government will request to place him on the red notice of the International Criminal Police Organization, the global police group that handed the International Criminal Court warrant for former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Bureau of Immigration last month also said Roque could be placed under the watchlist of the Interpol if a court issues a warrant for his arrest.

Roque sought asylum in the Netherlands amid an arrest warrant for contempt issued by the House of Representatives for his failure to attend its inquiry into POGOs.

He told reporters last month that the warrant of arrest issued by the House Quad Committee was "unjust prosecution" against him, which the Palace has denied.

"Malinis ang konsensya natin, alam naman natin na ang ginagawa natin ay walang kinalaman sa politika, naaayon lang sa ebidensya kasi alalahanin natin noong ni-raid ng PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission) ang Lucky South 99 wala naman silang intensyon na idawit si Atty. Harry Roque," Ty said.

"Dito, nagkataon lang na may nakitang mga dokumento doon na kung ano-ano nagkonek sa kanya."

Online petition, formal letter seek to block Roque bid for asylum in the Netherlands

—with a report from Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News