Roque decries Philippines Interpol request

MANILA, Philippines — There is no justification for the Philippine government to push for a red notice against him from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), fugitive former presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a Facebook post.

“I submitted my opposition to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files to deny the request of the Philippine government on the matter,” Roque said.

He said there are four reasons why he should not be subject to a red notice. “One, I am a protected bona fide asylum seeker under Dutch and European Union law, supported by official documentation from the Immigration and Naturalization Service,” he said,

He also claimed the non-bailable “syndicate trafficking” allegation is part of a political retaliation by the Marcos administration against staunch Duterte allies and vocal critics.

“The allegation is simply fabricated, unsupported by evidence, and weaponized to discredit and silence me,” he added.

Furthermore, he said, the Philippine government’s request is a violation of the Interpol Constitution’s Article 2 on Interpol’s human rights obligations and Article 3 strictly barring Interpol from engaging in matters that are “predominantly political in character.”

Lastly, “Interpol jurisprudence clearly prohibits Red Notices against political opponents and asylum seekers,” Roque said.

Roque has a standing arrest warrant issued by a Pampanga regional trial court for human trafficking – a non-bailable offense.