The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is investigating former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque for possibly falsifying documents to leave the country illegally. Roque recently confirmed that he filed a counter-affidavit in response to a qualified human trafficking complaint in Abu Dhabi.
However, he clarified that he is no longer in the UAE. BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the agency convened a meeting on Tuesday, December 3, to discuss the possibility of Roque’s “illegal” departure from the Philippines.
“Our records show there were no recent attempts by Roque to leave the country through formal immigration channels. Therefore, we believe he may have left the country illegally, possibly with the help of unscrupulous individuals,” Sandoval explained in a statement.
Sandoval further stated that while Roque likely used a passport to leave, there are concerns that the necessary clearances for his departure may not have been properly processed in the Philippines.
“There is a possibility that he falsified documents or clearances that would have allowed him entry into his destination country,” she added.
The BI official also noted that while the Philippines lacks specific legislation targeting “illegal departures,” Roque may face charges related to falsification of documents.
“Unlike other countries, there is no specific law for illegal departures in the Philippines. However, we can file charges under other violations related to falsifying documents,” Sandoval said.
According to BI records, Roque’s most recent international travel was in July when he returned from Los Angeles, USA. There have been no subsequent attempts to leave the country, Sandoval confirmed.
As Roque is listed under an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO), BI officials are confident that any attempt to leave via formal immigration channels would have been flagged by their personnel. “Since he is on the ILBO, any attempt to leave legally would have been caught by our immigration officers,” Sandoval concluded.
