On April 28, former Rodrigo Duterte spokesperson Harry Roque was formally charged with human trafficking cases related to his role in the operations of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO). Prior to this, he faced a land grabbing case filed at the Ombudsman by farmers in Bataan.

Roque is currently in The Netherlands seeking asylum after fleeing the country in late 2024 to escape contempt charges filed against him by Congress for defying summons to the Quad Committee hearings.

The human trafficking case against Roque, along with 40 others, was filed at the Angeles City Regional Court. It stemmed from his involvement in illegal activities linked to the operations of Lucky South 99 Corp in Porac, Pampanga.

The operator is said to be involved in kidnapping, illegal detention, cybercrime fraud, and exploitation of workers. Many of its workers were forcibly made to work as customer service representatives under inhumane working conditions. Roque served as the lawyer for the companies that helped Lucky South 99 obtain its license.

Prior to this, Roque and his wife Myla faced a land grabbing case in Bataan. The 77 farmers who filed the case said they were forcibly evicted from a 421-hectare land by First Bataan Mariveles Holding Corp. (FBMHC), a company owned by Roque’s wife Myla. The farmers learned that there were plans to build a township related to POGO on their land. The case was filed in January 2023 but has yet to garner a response.

Amid these cases, Filipinos in The Netherlands have intensified their campaign to urge the Dutch government to reject Roque’s asylum bid. Joel Vega, the Filipino who filed the petition to block the former spokesperson’s asylum application, said Roque is merely evading his responsibilities by seeking refuge in the country.