Harry Roque

Herminio Harry Lopez Roque Jr. (Tagalog: [ˈrɔkɛ]; born October 21, 1966) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, former law professor, and a fugitive. He served as the presidential spokesperson of President Rodrigo Duterte from 2017 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2021.^[1][2]

Education

Roque received his Bachelor of Arts (economics and political science) from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (1986), Bachelor of Laws from University of the Philippines Diliman (1990) and Master of Laws with merits from the London School of Economics (1996-1998).^[1]

Legal career

Through the advocacy group Center for International Law (Centerlaw), of which he was one of the founders, Roque and his team represented victims of the 2009 Ampatuan massacre; the Malaya Lolas, victims of systematic rape and abuse by the Japanese Imperial Army; the family of the killed transgender Jennifer Laude; and the family of the murdered environmental advocate and media man Gerry Ortega of Palawan.^[1]

Congressman

After becoming a congressman in the 17th Congress, Roque resigned as a member of the Center for International Law (Centerlaw). He was the principal author of the Universal Health Coverage Law, the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act, the Free Irrigation Service Act, an act establishing a national feeding program for public school pupils, and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.^[1]

Presidential spokesperson

Roque assumed the role of President Duterte's presidential spokesperson on November 6, 2017. According to Duterte, Roque was a fit for the role because like him, he has a "slightly naughty speaking style". Roque said that Duterte was looking for someone who could understand the remarks of the President, adding that the nature of his job required him to relay Duterte's positions.^[1]

2019 Senate elections

On October 5, 2018, Roque was reported to be interested to vie for a Senate seat in the 2019 elections. Duterte said that Roque had no chance in winning, saying that Roque had no support from the military; Duterte added he will just give Roque another role. Four days later, Roque was reported to have threatened to resign from his post after he was kept in the dark about Duterte's visit to a hospital on October 3.^[1]

Return as the presidential spokesperson

In April 2020, Roque returned to his role as Duterte's presidential spokesperson, replacing Salvador Panelo, who replaced him in 2018.^[1]

2022 Senate elections

Roque filed his certificate of candidacy for the 2022 Senate election on November 15, 2021, which automatically deemed him resigned from his position as presidential and IATF spokesperson. After expressing desire to run as senator if Sara Duterte decides to run for a national position, Roque ran under the People's Reform Party, substituting the candidacy of Paolo Mario Martelino. Additionally, following a protest staged in New York City against his bid to get elected to the International Law Commission of the United Nations, Roque stated he "found resolve to run" to prevent the election of allies of what he deems as extremist groups.^[1]

Post-Malacañang activities

Roque was hired by real estate firm Whirlwind Corporation as a lawyer in 2023, and in the same year accompanied Whirlwind incorporator Cassandra Ong in visiting the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on two separate occasions to assist in settling documents for Lucky South 99 Outsourcing, Inc., a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga that has since been shut down due to illegal activities that occurred during its operation.^[1]

Libel, cyber-libel lawsuits

On May 14, 2024, Antonio Trillanes IV filed defamation and cyberlibel complaint affidavits with the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office against Roque for alleged false accusations. Roque made allegations that Trillanes sold the Scarborough Shoal to China during his back-channel talks with Chinese leaders during the crisis in 2012. Roque welcomed Trillanes' filing of charges, saying "He who cannot fight in the free marketplace of ideas resort to the filing of libel cases!^[1]