HARRY ROQUE
– The former presidential Spokesman slammed President Bongbong Marcos for supposedly calling former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte his “best friend” in 2016.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos and the government earned massive criticisms after former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was arrested and turned over to the International Criminal Court last March. The former President remains detained under the custody of the ICC for 10 months now.
The unexpected turn of events that caused political turmoil in the Philippine government came amid the rift between Marcos Jr. and Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. For several times, former Pres. Duterte has also thrown accusations against his successor linking him to alleged illegal drug use and being supposedly incompetent for the presidency.
Amid the speculations and accusations against him, Marcos Jr. stressed that the issue between Duterte and the ICC is already there even before he became president of the country. Malacañang also defended the President from betrayal accusations.
Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro claimed that Marcos Jr. did not commit any betrayal. According to her, the government acted on Duterte’s arrest in lieu of its commitment with the Interpol.
Photo Courtesy of Manila Standard
Amid the Duterte-Marcos feud, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque slammed Pres. Bongbong Marcos for allegedly calling former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte his “best friend” in 2016. Then, Duterte was the president elect of the country.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte won a landslide presidential election win in 2016. According to Harry Roque in his
post
, it is allegedly the 2016 version of Pres. Bongbong Marcos.
In May 2016, then-defeated vice presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos congratulated then-president elect Rodrigo Roa Duterte for winning the elections. Here’s the message of Marcos Jr. then:
“Nais kong batiin ang aking matalik na kaibigan na si “Mayor President” Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte. As the first President from Mindanao, I am certain you will continue our efforts in the peace process in order to finally usher in a period of harmony and development in the Land of Promise. I wish nothing but the best for you because when a President does well, so does the country.”
Duterte’s former spokesman Harry Roque is staying abroad for a year now. He fled after the House of Representatives ordered his arrest for contempt in 2024 and only appeared in public again when the custody of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte was transferred to the ICC in The Hague.
Amid the political mess in the Philippine government,
Harry Roque recently called for the resignation of Pres. Bongbong Marcos anew
telling him to give the presidency to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.