Former presidential spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque has filed a petition before the Court of Appeals (CA) seeking to stop the implementation of rulings issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasig City that ordered the cancellation of his passport and labeled him a “fugitive from justice.”

In a press release dated April 24, Roque asked the CA to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO), arguing that the RTC resolutions issued in November 2025 and February 2026 were allegedly made with grave abuse of discretion and violated his constitutional rights.

Roque maintained that the Petition for Certiorari he filed is not an attempt to evade the law but a defense of his constitutional guarantees, including due process, presumption of innocence, and freedom of movement. He said the cancellation of his passport and the “fugitive” designation were imposed without legal basis.

“The cancellation of my passport and the label of ‘fugitive’ were imposed without legal basis and in violation of my fundamental rights,” Roque stated in his filing.

He argued that he should not be considered a fugitive because he left the Philippines in September 2024, prior to the filing of any criminal complaint or case against him. He added that under established legal principles, a person can only be deemed a fugitive if they flee after being formally charged in court.

Roque also criticized what he described as the RTC’s introduction of “constructive fleeing,” or the idea that a person may be considered a fugitive simply for remaining abroad after learning of charges. He said this concept has no basis in law or jurisprudence and improperly expands the definition of evasion of prosecution.

He further questioned the cancellation of his passport, saying it has no legal basis under Republic Act No. 11983 or the New Philippine Passport Act, which limits such action to specific circumstances not present in his case.

Roque maintained that the RTC rulings violated his rights to due process, presumption of innocence, and freedom to travel.

He also informed the court that he is currently seeking asylum in Europe, arguing that this status was not considered by the RTC. He said the Philippines is bound by international law recognizing the right to seek asylum and that the court’s ruling undermines these protections.

The CA has yet to act on the petition as of this writing.