Roque calls asylum denial claim 'fake news'; DILG chief to confirm

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday denied claims from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla that his petition for asylum was denied, calling it “fake news.” Earlier in the day, Remulla said in a media briefing that Roque’s asylum bid was denied, but did not disclose further details. “For the nth time, Secretary Jonvic Remulla has publicly claimed that my application for asylum in Austria has been denied. This is fake news. Secretary Remulla claims that my asylum application should be considered denied because it was supposedly not acted upon within six months,” Roque said in a Facebook post. “There is no such rule that automatically converts the passage of six months into a denial of an asylum application,” he added. Roque said that his application has been submitted for resolution to the Austrian authorities and he was waiting for the decision. “Until the Austrian authorities themselves issue a decision on my application, claims that my asylum bid have already been denied are false and misleading,” Roque said. The former presidential spokesperson said that officials should verify their facts. Roque has sought asylum from the Netherlands, but his case has been referred to Austrian authorities since they were the ones to issue him a visa. He currently faces human trafficking charges in relation to the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators’ hub in Porac, Pampanga. Following Remulla’s initial statement in the press briefing, GMA News Online sought further confirmation and details on the supposed denial of Roque’s asylum bid. Remulla said that he was still working to confirm the matter. “I will confirm soon,” the Interior secretary told GMA News Online in a Viber message. Roque’s statement was published on Facebook shortly after Remulla’s message. —AOL, GMA News