Ched Rick Gatchalian

Atty. Harry Roque on Sept. 7, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

 

Article (news)

Harry Roque taken into custody, currently at Amsterdam airport: initial reports

Jamaine Punzalan

Victoria Tulad

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764058108096HARRY.png" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Atty. Harry Roque on Sept. 7, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — Lawyer Harry Roque on Tuesday denied rumors that he was supposedly arrested in the Netherlands in connection to his human trafficking case for his alleged ties to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.&quot;There is no truth to the rumors that I have been arrested,&quot; Roque said in a Facebook post.&quot;I have a scheduled flight to Vienna, Austria today, November 25,&quot; he added.<div> </div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHarryRoque%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02cwQ7zWAJsx5Uoj7BWYpWtK7wkKnh6dn3gP7fhRa9v5vA1pcxRy1ZVeWt2JLJUwQsl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="650" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>However, in a video posted by vlogger Maharlika Tuesday night, Roque said he is still in the Netherlands after he was offloaded from his flight to Vienna. &quot;Wala pong nag-aresto sa akin, ako po ay malaya dito sa the Hague,&quot; he said.Roque said he had a major surgery last month, and minor one a few days ago, and his doctors told him he was not fit to fly.The immigration authorities of the Netherlands, however, issued him a fit to fly certificate, and that&#x27;s why we pushed through with the flight.&quot;Pero noong ako&#x27;y nakasakay na sa eroplano, alam kasi ng airline na mayroon akong medical passport...Noong nakita nila na mayroon akong certificate na I am unfit to fly, Ayun na, naantala na &#x27;yung paglipad ng eroplano,&quot; Roque said, adding he thought he had no choice but to leave since he was cleared by immigration authorities.Roque also said he was going to Vienna to process his asylum.Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that &quot;no official communication confirming an arrest has been transmitted to us.&quot;Remulla said this was despite the Red Notice issued by the Philippine government, which gives authorities in the Netherlands &quot;cause to arrest him (Roque) and turn him over to Philippine authorities.&quot;During the Senate plenary deliberations on the 2026 proposed budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs earlier in the day, Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked the agency about reports on Roque&#x27;s alleged arrest.&quot;While it&#x27;s in the breaking news, the DFA is still in the process of verifying as they&#x27;ve had no information from the Netherlands,&quot; said Sen. Imee Marcos, budget sponsor of the DFA.Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it has &quot;not received any official communication with respect to the alleged arrest of Harry Roque.&quot;<div> </div><div>DOJ: WITHOUT VALID PASSPORT, ROQUE CANNOT TRAVEL</div>DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez said Roque cannot travel to another country and leave the Netherlands, following the order of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court to cancel his passport.“No, he should not be able to travel without a valid passport,” Martinez said.The DOJ added that immigration authorities at any country can detain him for traveling without proper travel documentation.The DOJ however said the department has not received official communication regarding travel and his alleged arrest.“All claims with respect to this remain unverified,” Martinez said.Travelers in EU do not always need to present their passports or travel documents, although it is recommended by the authorities to still carry a passport or ID.So far, the Department of Foreign Affairs had cancelled the passports of the following individuals:<ul><li>Herminio Roque Jr. </li><li>Katherine Cassandra Li Ong </li><li>Ronelyn Baterna </li><li>Mercides Macabasa </li><li>Dennis Lacson Cunanan</li></ul>Earlier this week, the Philippine government requested an Interpol red notice against Roque.A red notice is circulated among Interpol’s member-countries to locate and provisionally arrest individuals facing prosecution or serving a sentence, based on a valid arrest warrant.Roque, who served two stints as former president Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s Palace spokesman, has denied alleged involvement in human trafficking and abuse at the Lucky South 99 POGO in Porac, Pampanga.The case against him remained pending since the Angeles City court handling it has yet to acquire jurisdiction over him.He left the Philippines in September 2024 after being cited for contempt for refusing to attend Senate hearings into offshore gambling sites used as fronts for criminal activities.He later re-emerged in the Netherlands, where he sought asylum for alleged political persecution.

Lawyer Harry Roque on Tuesday denied rumors that he was supposedly arrested in the Netherlands in connection to his human trafficking case for his alleged ties to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.

Lawyer Harry Roque on Tuesday denied rumors that he was supposedly arrested in the Netherlands in connection to his human trafficking case for his alleged ties to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.

Harry Roque denies arrest rumors

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Harry Roque denies arrest rumors

Jamaine Punzalan,

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

Victoria Tulad,

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 25, 2025 04:25 PM PHT

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Updated Nov 26, 2025 09:30 AM PHT

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Harry Roque

Netherlands

POGO

Interpol red notice

Human trafficking

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