Roque denies Remulla’s claim Austria rejected asylum bid
The application for asylum of Harry Roque, former spokesperson for ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, has been denied, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday.
Roque, however, called Remulla’s claim “fake news.” An Angeles City court ordered his arrest in May 2025 on qualified human trafficking charges over his alleged ties to a Philippine offshore gaming operator hub in Pampanga that was shuttered for illegal activities.
Roque is reportedly in Austria seeking asylum, citing political persecution.
“Harry Roque’s asylum application has been denied. His five months are up. Once there’s an Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) red notice against him, I’ll get him,” Remulla said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.
An Interpol red notice is a request to all law enforcement agencies worldwide to “locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.”
Processing period
Remulla could not immediately say which country had denied Roque’s asylum.
He told the Inquirer in a text message that the five-month period he was referring to was “the usual time for processing [an asylum application.]”
Roque, however, said in a statement there was no such rule “that automatically converts the passage of six months into a denial of an asylum application.”
“My application for asylum has been submitted for resolution, and I continue to await the official decision of the competent Austrian asylum authorities,” he added.
Roque went on to say that until the news comes from Austrian authorities themselves, “claims that my asylum bid has already been denied are false and misleading.”
The Inquirer sought further comment from Remulla, but he had yet to respond at press time.
During the press briefing, Remulla said his upcoming visit to France was aimed at blocking the asylum bid of another fugitive, former Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co.
“As per latest reports, he’s still there. He is seeking asylum,” Remulla added, referring to the former lawmaker who is one of the central figures in the flood control controversy.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said it believed Roque’s asylum petition was without basis as it rejected his claim that he was being politically persecuted for being allied with Vice President Sara Duterte.
“The cases against him are clear. He is involved in qualified human trafficking, land grabbing and tax evasion,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said.
“So this is not political persecution. The records speak for themselves and the evidence is overwhelming,” she added.
Roque has been in hiding in Europe since September 2024.
