Incoming spokesman Roque hints at another role in Duterte admin

MANILA, Philippines — Incoming presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Wednesday hinted at having a concurrent position in the Duterte administration after he earlier expressed his willingness to advise the president on “key human rights issues” on top of his job as mouthpiece.

Roque dropped the clues during an interview with CNN Philippines after news anchor Pinky Webb asked him how he will talk to President Rodrigo Duterte about human rights when he is not a presidential adviser.

“There’s something that secretary Bong Go and I discussed which he agreed to. It will be announced in due course,” Roque said without elaborating.

Pressed for hints of the agreement between him and Duterte, Roque told Webb: “See if I answer that you already know the answer.”

“It’s an agreement and I hope the president will announce it,” he added.

Duterte last Friday announced Roque’s new role in Malacañang during the latter’s birthday party in Davao City—confirming rumors that the firebrand leader was set to have a new point man.

READ: Roque to Duterte critics: If you throw stones, I'll throw hollow blocks

Roque was given a rank of “secretary” and will replace Ernesto Abella, who had a rank of undersecretary and is a pastor by profession.

Before flying to Japan last week, Duterte said Roque’s appointment was his “personal decision.”

“I am not about to explain why I did it,” Duterte said.

Roque, a well-known human rights lawyer, earlier explained that he agreed to be Duterte’s spokesman to directly talk to the maverick leader about the government’s brutal drug war, noting that as a member of Congress, his voice was “limited.”

“I have already expressed my willingness to serve as an adviser on the matter,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

READ: Tough-talking Harry Roque now Duterte's spokesperson

Intimidated

Roque will attend his first Cabinet meeting on Monday, November 6. Meanwhile, he is set to give his first press conference at Malacanang on Wednesday.

While he is “excited” to have his maiden Palace briefing, Roque admitted that he is “a bit intimidated” by members of the Malacañang Press Corps — the guild of accredited journalists covering the president.

Nonetheless, Roque sad he expects to have a good working relationship with Palace reporters, citing his previous job as a lawyer for members of the press who were either killed or sued for libel.

“I’ve defended the media for libel, whenever they’re killed. I’ve also worked closely with the NUJP (National Union of Journalists of the Philippines) so I don’t see any problems. Plus, of course, my conviction that we need a working media,” he remarked.

Roque teaches law at the University of the Philippines and was the head of the Center for International Law, the Philippine-based human rights advocacy group. CenterLaw represents victims of the government's campaign against illegal drugs in petitions filed at the Supreme Court.

Roque likewise served as the lawyer of the victims of the 2009 Ampatuan massacre, considered the deadliest attack against journalists. He was also the legal counsel of the family of slain environmental activist Gerry Ortega.

READ: Abella on Roque’s appointment as spokesperson: ‘He’s more than adequate’