MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is considering tapping the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to assist in the arrest of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who is believed to be in the Netherlands, amid mounting legal issues — including a case of human trafficking and a separate Supreme Court contempt charge.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil confirmed on Friday that they are working closely with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to explore all legal options, including filing a request for an INTERPOL Red Notice — a tool that could lead to Roque’s arrest by Dutch authorities.
“If his presence in the Netherlands is confirmed, and given the gravity of the allegations — now involving human trafficking in addition to indirect contempt — we will pursue all legal avenues to bring him back to the Philippines,” Marbil stated.
The Supreme Court recently issued an arrest warrant against Roque for indirect contempt over his public attacks on court rulings. However, the situation has escalated following reports that Roque is also being investigated for alleged involvement in a human trafficking scheme, although details of the case remain under judicial confidentiality due to its sensitivity and the involvement of vulnerable individuals.
The inclusion of transnational criminal allegations like human trafficking strengthens the PNP’s case for INTERPOL intervention, as such offenses fall squarely under INTERPOL’s mandate and typically carry stronger international cooperation protocols.
While the PNP is still confirming Roque’s exact whereabouts, legal experts point out that a Red Notice could prompt authorities in the Netherlands to detain Roque, especially if the Philippines files an extradition request or invokes multilateral agreements on human trafficking and judicial cooperation.
As of this writing, Roque has not issued any public statement regarding either the contempt charge or the human trafficking allegations.
