Harry Roque

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 (1990) and Master of Laws with merits from the London School of Economics (1996).^[6]

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;^[7] the Malaya Lolas, victims of systematic rape and abuse by the Japanese Imperial Army;^[8] the family of the killed transgender Jennifer Laude;^[9] and the family of the murdered environmental advocate and media man Gerry Ortega of Palawan.^[10]

Roque has argued before the Supreme Court on several occasions. On the Supreme Court website, the retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura identifies him "as among those who have impressed him when they had argued before the Supreme Court".^[11]

Among the cases Roque argued before the high court were questioning President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Presidential Proclamation 1017 and General Order No. 5,^[12] placing the country under a State of Emergency partially unconstitutional for infringing on the constitutionally protected rights of free speech, peaceful assembly and freedom of the press.^[13] He is also among the five counsels allowed to argue specific issues raised against the Cybercrime Law.^[14] On another occasion, he represented the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in arguing that local government officials cannot deny applications for rally permits except on grounds that the conduct of the same will result in a clear and present danger to the state.^[15]

Roque also helped secure for Boracay Foundation a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) to stop the reclamation of 42 hectares (100 acres) of land in Caticlan due to the absence of studies and guarantees that it would not damage Boracay Island.^[16] Roque won the first ever granted petition for the Writ of Amparo in favor of a journalist,^[17] as well as another petition for Amparo - the second application for writ of Amparo where the Court of Appeals issued protective orders.^[18]

Roque mentored and coached some of the UP College of Law moot teams that won in various competitions, including the 2015 Oxford Price Moot Court Competition in Oxford, UK, where the team beat 91 others.^[19] He also mentored the team that won prizes in the Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Competition held in Hong Kong on March 18, 2015,^[20] and the team that won the championship on March 11–12, 2005. In March 2012, Team Philippines made it to the semi-finals of the 2012 Jessup International Law Moot Court competition in Washington, D.C.^[21]

Roque was nominated by the Philippine government to the International Law Commission in 2021. As part of his bid, he proposed an international treaty on equal COVID-19 vaccine access and the recognition of the permanent presence of states which could possibly sink below sea level due to global warming.^[22] Roque's bid was vehemently objected by various sectors such as the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan leftist group,^[23] around 150 lawyers, the Free Legal Assistance Group,^[22] the executive committee of his alma mater University of the Philippines Diliman,^[24] and the UP Integrated High School^[25] for being a part of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration. He failed to garner enough votes to win one of the eight seats in contention.^[26][27]

After becoming a congressman in the 17th Congress, Roque resigned as a member of the Center for International Law (Centerlaw).^[28] He was the principal author of the Universal Health Coverage Law,^[29] 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.^[6]

Roque was also one of three representatives who endorsed the impeachment case against the former Comelec chairman, Andres Bautista.^[30]

Roque assumed the role of President Duterte's presidential spokesperson on November 6, 2017.^[31] 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.^[32]

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.^[33] 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.^[34] He eventually resigned on October 15, expressing his plans to run for a seat at the House of Representatives, under Luntiang Pilipinas Party.^[35] Roque later made his political plans official after filing his Certificate of Candidacy for Senator of the republic on October 17.^[34]

On February 1, 2019, Roque dropped out of the 2019 Senatorial race, citing a medical condition.^[35]

In April 2020, Roque returned to his role as Duterte's presidential spokesperson, replacing Salvador Panelo, who replaced him in 2018.^[36]

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic on April 13, 2020, Roque assumed the role of spokesperson for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, replacing Karlo Nograles.^[37][38]

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.^[39] 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.^[40] Roque lost in the Senate elections, finishing at 17th in a race to fill 12 seats.^[41]

On May 14, 2024, Antonio Trillanes IV filed defamation and cyberlibel complaint affidavits with the Quezon City Prosecutors's Office against Roque for alleged false accusations of selling Scarborough Shoal to China during his back-channel talks in 2012.^[42][43] Roque welcomed Trillanes' filing of charges, saying "He who cannot fight in the free marketplace of ideas resort to the filing of libel cases! By filing these cases, he has proven to be an enemy of freedom of expression".^[44] A subpoena was issued by the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on June 3 against Roque and political vlogger Byron "Banat By" Cristobal.^[45] On June 18, Roque filed a counter-affidavit and libel charges against Trillanes for alleged violations of Republic Acts No. 3019 (the "Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act") and No. 6713 (the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees").^[46]

Roque is a Protestant.^[47] He is married to Mylah Reyes, a former television reporter, with whom he has two children.^[48][6]

Roque has an online program in social media called "The Spox Hour", where he speaks about various political issues concerning the Philippines. In June 2024, an old video clip featuring Roque and his guest OPM singer Ronnie Liang in "The Spox Hour" became viral on social media. In the video, Roque said "Maya-maya, tignan natin kung mapapa-topless natin si Ronnie Liang; Ako, magta-topless ako". Liang guested in Roque's show during their visit to Dinagat Island in July 2022.^[49] The old video resurfaced in relation to an issue wherein documents from a POGO raided by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission in Porac, Pampanga linked Roque to 2016 Mr. Supranational Philippines winner Alberto Rodulfo "AR" Dela Serna; Serna, who then served as Roque's executive assistant, had his Europe travel costs funded by Roque.^[50]