Metro Manila, Philippines – Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque – wanted for charges related to illegal offshore gaming operations – left the Philippines through the southernmost province of Tawi-Tawi, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Tuesday, May 27.
Remulla said Roque was offgrid despite an immigration lookout bulletin order because he took an undocumented route.
The former official has been in the Netherlands seeking political asylum.
“Noon, meron nang lookout bulletin ‘yan; hindi nag-alarm,” Remulla said. “Nag-backdoor siya.”
[Translation: There was a lookout bulletin against him; there was no alarm. He used a backdoor.]
“Sa Tawi-Tawi dumaan ‘yan. Malamang nagbangka or nag-speedboat papuntang Malaysia via Sipadan, Sabah,” the justice chief said.
[Translation: He likely used a boat or speedboat to Malaysia via Sipadan, Sabah.]
Remulla said Roque has at least two Philippine passports, which is illegal.
He said the passports may differ in second name or middle name.
The Department of Justice earlier filed a motion to cancel Roque’s passports.
Roque and around 40 others are facing qualified trafficking charges over their alleged involvement in the illegal activities of Lucky South 99, a raided Philippine offshore gaming operation hub in Porac, Pampanga.
NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.
No multiple passports
Roque, however, denied that he is using multiple passports.
“For the record, I am currently using one regular passport, because the other regular one (still current) has no more blank pages,” he explained in a statement.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs would certainly know that the previous current one is cancelled without prejudice,” Roque said.
The former spokesman added his passport is with the Dutch authorities as part of his asylum bid.
