Tag: Harry Roque

Malacañang podium suits Roque’s senatorial plans

Published by Ellen on November 5, 2017

Newly-appointed Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. entertains queries from members of the media following his first press briefing in Malacañang on November 2. Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante.

It has not been a week since lawyer Harry Roque started speaking for President Duterte and he has effectively taken the heat off the President.

The last meeting of the President with media was upon his arrival from Japan last Oct. 31 where he was asked about his reaction to the statement of imprisoned senator Leila de Lima about not touching his son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and son-in-law Manases Carpio, whose names were mentioned in the Senate investigation of the 604 kilos of shabu that slipped through the Bureau of Customs during the watch of former Marines office Nicanor Faeldon.

Duterte was as usual defensive:” Who would believe me if I investigate my son and my son-in-law? Ikaw, can you investigate your mother or father? I leave it to the independent agencies — there’s the Human Rights, which is making all the noise, and they have the NBI.

Harry Roque will not be short of horror stories about Globe and Smart

Published by Ellen on September 4, 2016

Rep. Harry Roque delivering privilege speech.

This is a most welcome congressional inquiry.

Kabayan Party-list Representative Harry L. Roque, in a resolution filed last week said, “The House of Representatives requests the major telecommunication providers, Smart Telecommunications and Globe Telecommunications, to explain why the Filipino people are not receiving the quality of service that they deserve and, to show cause why they should have the privilege to keep their franchises despite the same.”

Roque said Section 20 of Republic Act 7925 provides all telecommunication users the right to reliable services and conforming to minimum standards set by the National Telecommunications Commission, regular and accurate billing, and thorough and prompt investigations and actions upon complaints.

Lozada’s conviction stresses urgency of whistleblowers law

Published by Ellen on August 28, 2016

Jun Lozada in a Palm Sunday mass. File photo

At this time of his life, it’s his faith in God that keeps Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. going.

The government has failed him. The country’s justice system turned against him. Many “friends” have abandoned him after they have used him for their agenda.

After his conviction to six to ten years in prison by the Sandiganbayan last week in the case involving the lease of idle lands when he was president of the Philippine Foreign Corporation, a teary-eyed Lozada said the decision was difficult to take but he is holding on to faith in God: “I once said before, eight years ago, one of the lessons I learned is that the opposite of fear is courage. In reality, the opposite of fear is faith. So I’m holding on to faith in God.”

Sister Mary John Mananzan, one of those who have consistently helped Lozada and his family all throughout Jun’s eight- year ordeal deal, said the case would not have materialized if he did not testify in the aborted corruption-tainted $329.5 million national broadband project with the Chinese firm, ZTE Corp.

“I’m sure of it. All the cases against him came out after he became witness. If it was really his crime, why wasn’t he charged when he was with PFC?” she asked.

Well- meaning warning to the President from an ally

Published by Ellen on August 17, 2016

(Quote on immunity from suits starts at 17:40 mins)

In many of his speeches , President Rodrigo Duterte flaunts his immunity from suits as an armor amid mounting concerns about the extra-judicial killings in his campaign against illegal drugs.

In a speech before troops at Camp Gen. Macario B. Peralta, JR, Jamindan, Capiz last Aug. 5, he said, “Ang Presidente, hindi mo ma-demanda. ..mag-order ako ng patay, you cannot arrest me, may immunity ako.”

It’s not only those dealing with illegal drugs that he wants killed but all those he believes pose obstructions to his desire to improve the lives of the Filipino people.

Harry Roque aims for a congressional seat through partylist

Published by Ellen on August 27, 2015

Harry Roque with Rep. Gina de Venecia and Precy Lopez-Psinakis in a rally against Gloria Arroyo's attempt to change Constitution in 2009. — Harry Roque with Rep. Gina de Venecia and Precy Lopez-Psinakis in a rally against Gloria Arroyo’s attempt to change Constitution in 2009.

I’m so glad that lawyer Harry Roque has decided to go via the party list in his entry into politics. He is no longer joining Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance ticket.

In his meeting with members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Bacolod yesterday, Roque announced that he will be the first nominee of the party list Kalusugan, Pabahay, Kabuhayan or Kabayan which describes itself as “ a multi-sector party that represents Filipinos in various marginalized but highly important sectors in Philippine society” in the 2016 elections.

Roque said being with Kabayan “is more consistent with my human rights advocacy.”

Centerlaw: Documents belie De Lima’s claim of misinformation

Published by Ellen on April 8, 2015

Statement of the Prof. Harry L. Roque Jr., chair of the Center for International Law (Centerlaw), an NGO dedicated to the promotion of binding international legal norms in the Philippines and Asia:

“We take exception to the veiled threat in the statement made yesterday by Secretary Leila De Lima that the Vera Files special report on a recent Note Verbale given by the Philippines to Malaysia over the Spratlys islands concerned a confidential matter that should have been kept as it is.

“In the first place, our Justice Secretary should be first to know that such a threat is in the nature of prior restraint with a chilling effect on speech, as held by the Supreme Court in the case filed by the late former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez against a predecessor of hers at the DOJ, the late Raul Gonzales.

“A mere press statement of a threat of prosecution coming from a government functionary, according to this 2008 Supreme Court decision, is unconstitutional precisely for that reason.

11 facts that render allegations of bribery vs Harry Roque ridiculous

Published by Ellen on August 10, 2014

Harry Roque with relatives of the victims. Photo by Lito Ocampo, CMFR.

The murderous Ampatuans must be enjoying the spectacle of the prosecutors in the Maguindanao massacre destroying each other.

Atty. Nena Santos, representing 25 of the of the 58 who were killed in a massacre in a secluded hill in Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009, has alleged that government and fellow private prosecutor Harry Roque, of having been bribed by the Ampatuans to lose the case.

Santos represents Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, husband of victim Genalyn Mangudadatu and political rival of the Ampatuan family.

It will be recalled that Genalyn, accompanied by family members, political associates and members of media were abducted while on their way to file the candidacy of Mangudadatu for governor against Andal Ampatuan Jr, son of the then incumbent, Andal Ampatuan Sr. They were brought to a secluded hill and killed by Andal Jr and his henchmen. Of the 58 killed, 34 were media workers, earning for the Philippines the reputation of one of the most dangerous places for journalists.

Thoughts of a lawyer’s wife on the latest Ampatuan massacre controversy

Published by Ellen on August 8, 2014

By Mylah Reyes Roque

Today, I write about the man I am married to but who I barely talk about or refer to in the social media – not that I actively engage in it in the first place. My friends know of course that my husband is the lawyer and law professor Harry Roque, who is also a private prosecutor in the Ampatuan trial. I don’t mention this in Facebook but I don’t hide it either. He is “public”; I on the other hand am happy to keep and remain with my small circle of friends. He maintains a blog, is active on Twitter and has two Facebook accounts, one active and one “unable to accept any more friends.” My Facebook, on the other hand, has just slightly over 500 friends and I use twitter only to check on #mmda and #walangpasok.

So for the first time I break my quiet as regards Harry.

Harry, or a person identified with a cell phone number corresponding to his, is being accused of accepting P10 million and a car from the Ampatuans to sell out his clients in the Ampatuan trial. The accusation comes from an alleged informant of another private prosecutor. The information is based on handwritten entries in somebody’s notebook. This prosecutor refuses to fully identify the informant but she made a public announcement anyway. The alleged informant also accuses some of Harry’s clients of accepting payment from the Ampatuans. These stories about payoffs to the victims are an old hat. Yesterday, the demolition job was on the fiscals and justice undersecretary. Today Harry is the one accused of being on the take. One can keep trying to throw mud but it won’t always stick.

Fight vs online libel goes to the UNCHR

Published by Ellen on April 24, 2014

Lawyer Harry Roque files motion for reconsideration vs Cybercrime law.

Last Tuesday, while in Baguio City for their summer session, the Supreme Court denied all the Motions for Reconsideration on Online Libel which it upheld in its Feb. 18, 2014 decision.

It will be recalled that in its Feb. 18 decision, the High Court struck down as illegal the authority given to the Department of Justice) to restrict or block access to any online post which it deemed violating the law without any court order.

But it upheld the constitutionality of the online libel that increased the penalty twelvefold. From a minimum punishment of six months imprisonment under the Revised Penal Code, the Cybercrime Prevention Law increased it to six years. The maximum punishment was doubled from six to twelve years in prison.

Harry Roque and Vic Agustin exchanges

Published by Ellen on April 14, 2011

Following are two columns, Cocktail Perks at BSP by lawyer Harry Roque and P200,000 to attack Tetangco by journalist Vic Agustin of Manila Standard.

Harry Roque is being criticized for charging Bancco Filipino, who recently was taken over by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for alleged insolvency, P1.28 lawyers fee plus other fees. What’s wrong with a lawyer charging clients fees for services rendered?

I personally know that Atty. Roque is doing a lot of pro bono cases.

Here’s Roque’s column answering Agustin’s criticism against him. Agustin’s column is also reproduced in this post

Cocktail Perks at BSP

By Harry Roque

Cocktales writer Victor Agustin tried to malign my law firm in his column last Monday. No effort at all was made to hear the other side, my side, which genuine journalists always do to differentiate themselves from paid hacks.

In past press releases, the BSP falsely linked me to a supposed P245 million payment made by Banco Filipino (BF) for legal services. In his smear column, however, Agustin unconsciously exposed BSP’s malice because, all along, it turns out that the BSP had records showing that my firm merely got paid one-half of 1% of the alleged P245 million amount. In fact, with P400,000 in still unpaid legal fees, my firm is a victim of the BF closure.