By Rodolfo Dacleson II
(May 29, 2025) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday clarified former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque had no multiple active Philippine passports.
The DFA confirmed through its verification that Roque holds one regular passport, which was issued in July 2024 and is valid until July 2034.
“All other previously issued under his name have been duly cancelled in accordance with existing rules and regulations,” said DFA in a statement.
Roque’s passport has not been canceled yet, as of writing.
On Tuesday, Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary Boying Remulla claimed in an interview that Roque had at least three passports, saying they will seek cooperation with the DFA to verify it. Roque has denied the allegations.
The DFA explained that Roque was issued with a regular passport in October 2019 but was later canceled due to the issuance of his most recent passport.
“During this period, Mr. Roque was the presidential spokesperson [of former president Rodrigo Duterte] and as such was also the bearer of a diplomatic passport issued on December 2, 2017 and valid until December 1, 2022,” it added.
The agency also stressed that Filipino citizens can only possess one active and valid regular passport at any given time.
“The only exception to this would be qualified government employees who may be issued official or diplomatic passports for use when travelling abroad on official missions,” said DFA.
The DOJ sought the cancellation of Roque’s passport due to his refusal to return to the country and application for asylum in the Netherlands despite his alleged involvement in the Philippine offshore gaming operator.
Earlier this month, a regional trial court in Angeles, Pampanga issued a warrant of arrest against Roque, Chinese-Filipino businesswoman Cassandra Li Ong, and 49 others due to a qualified human trafficking case concerning the raided Lucky South 99 Corp. last June.
Since September, Roque has gone into hiding after the quad-committee of the House of Representatives issued an arrest warrant for him for refusing to submit his Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth from 2016 until 2022. He is being investigated at that time for his unexplained wealth tied with POGO.
(With reports from Camille Samonte, News5)
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