INTERIOR and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced on Tuesday that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s application for asylum has been formally denied.
“His asylum is done, Harry Roque’s asylum was denied. The five-month period has elapsed. If there is a red notice, I will bring him back,” Remulla told reporters during a media briefing, though he declined to specify which country issued the denial or provide further documentation.
He later clarified that he would “confirm first” the details, noting that he was not personally handling the case.
Roque immediately dismissed Remulla’s statement as “fake news,” insisting that his asylum petition remains under review. “Until the Austrian authorities themselves issue a decision on my application, claims that my asylum bid has already been denied are false and misleading,” Roque said in a statement. He explained that his case falls under the EU’s Dublin Regulation: he applied for asylum in the Netherlands in March 2025, but because Austria issued his Schengen visa, the Austrian authorities are the ones responsible for resolving his petition — not the Netherlands.
According to Roque, there is no rule automatically converting the passage of six months into a formal denial. He maintains that his application has simply been submitted to the proper authorities in Austria and is still awaiting a decision. The confusion may stem from the complex procedural status of his case, which has kept him in the Netherlands under medical care rather than being transferred to Austria as originally scheduled.
The Philippine government has requested an Interpol red notice against Roque in connection with qualified human trafficking charges linked to the Lucky South 99 POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga. Remulla reiterated that once the red notice is issued, the government will move to have Roque returned to the Philippines. Roque, meanwhile, has repeatedly denied the charges as politically motivated and has stated he will not return voluntarily, saying he has lost trust in the country’s justice system.
metrosundaily
