Harry Roque Wants Asylum — The Netherlands Should Say No

News broke recently that Harry Roque, Duterte’s former spokesperson, may be seeking asylum in the Netherlands.

I had to read that twice.

Roque, once a respected human rights lawyer, stood with grieving families and fought for justice. But somewhere along the way, he switched sides. He went from defending victims to defending the very administration accused of robbing those same families of their loved ones.

He became Duterte’s mouthpiece — the man who stood behind podiums insisting that no one was killed lawlessly, even as thousands of bodies piled up in the streets.

Thousands.

The Pain Roque Chose to Ignore

Official records say over 6,000 people were killed in Duterte’s drug war. Human rights groups believe the real number could be closer to 30,000. Either way, that’s thousands of lives cut short — most without trial, without investigation, and without justice.

And these weren’t drug lords or cartel bosses. Some were tricycle drivers. Some were teenagers. Some were fathers who never made it home.

While families grieved, Roque stood at the podium, claiming that the justice system was working — as if those mourning mothers weren’t burying their sons because of that very system’s failure.

I wonder how they felt watching him speak.

Roque’s Role in Blocking Accountability

When the International Criminal Court (ICC) started investigating the drug war, Duterte’s administration responded by pulling the Philippines out of the ICC altogether — a move widely seen as an attempt to dodge accountability.

Roque didn’t make that decision. But he defended it every step of the way.

He called the ICC politically motivated. He claimed they had no right to investigate. He argued that Philippine courts were functioning just fine — never mind the families who knew better.

And now?

Now he’s asking for asylum in the Netherlands — the very country that hosts the ICC.

That’s not just ironic. That’s offensive.

Unanswered Questions About POGO

Roque’s asylum bid also comes at a suspicious time.

Recent Senate investigations in the Philippines have linked him to the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) — an industry tangled in corruption, trafficking, and organized crime. While nothing has been proven yet, Roque’s involvement raises questions.

Questions he hasn’t answered.

Now, instead of facing those questions, he’s trying to slip away.

The Netherlands Should Say No

Asylum is for the persecuted — not for those running from accountability.

The Netherlands has a reputation for standing firm on justice. This is a country that hosts the ICC — a nation that believes the powerful shouldn’t escape consequences.

Letting Roque stay would send the wrong message. It would tell the world that those who defend violence and enable oppression can still find a safe place to hide.

The families mourning their loved ones deserve better than that.

They deserve answers. They deserve accountability.

And they deserve to know that the man who spent years excusing their suffering won’t be granted the protection meant for those who suffer most.

Justice demands accountability. The Netherlands shouldn’t give Roque a free pass — not when so many families are still waiting for the justice he tried so hard to deny them.