Roque Falsely Asserts that the PH COVID-19 Ranks are Lower
Roque incorrectly highlighted the country's global rankings of active COVID-19 cases and cases per million people. Two of Roque's four statements were incorrect. Roque made the false assertions in response to a query about the state of the national government's pandemic response after President Rodrigo Duterte declared enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on the whole island of Luzon on March 16, 2020.
March
2021
Roque Loses His Cool During a Live Interview
Webb asked Roque for his thoughts on fellow faculty member Danilo Arao's tweet. Roque later remarked that Webb’s question was “unfair” and reiterated his previous stance. Webb responded that she did not tell him he was “duty-bound” but Roque insisted that such was the case. Webb once again clarified that she only asked for the spokesman’s views on Arao’s tweet and whether he agrees with it. However, Roque claimed that Webb implied he has “no sense of excellence or honor” if he doesn’t agree with Arao, which was immediately refuted by the journalist.
Twitter users took note of Webb's "hair flip" motion during the interview in which Roque lost his cool.
January
2021
Roque Refuses to Apologize to a CNN Reporter
Roque denied requests for him to formally apologize to a reporter he berated at a virtual Palace briefing on May 19, 2020. Roque had accused CNN Philippines journalist Triciah Terada of posting false information in a story she did not write over the allegedly improper usage of the term "mass testing," before refusing her the opportunity to clarify. In response to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines' (NUJP) demand that he recognize his mistreatment of the CNN Philippines reporter, Roque stated that he owed them nothing and that they owed him.
May
2020
Defending Duterte's Grant of Absolute Pardon to US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton
“The President and I share the same deep conviction on major policy issues affecting the country, such as charting an independent foreign policy course and zero-tolerance against corruption,” Roque said in a statement.
“On the Pemberton issue, I respect the wisdom of the President, which is grounded on a broader national interest,” he added.
During the case's legal processes, Roque represented the Laude family as a lawyer. When an Olongapo court granted Pemberton's release based on his accrued good conduct time allotment, Roque called it "judicial overreach." Roque has also called Laude's killing the "death of Philippine sovereignty."
September
2020
Roque and Others have been Sued for Suspected Violations of the COVID-19 Protocol
Pinoy Aksyon stated it sued Roque in July 2020 for allegedly breaking non-essential travel restrictions when he traveled to Subic, Zambales "to swim with the dolphins." It also mentioned Roque's presence at an event in Bantayan Island, Cebu, in November 2020, when social distancing was not applied, and the Palace official's diving trip in Boracay in February this year. “Clearly, the presidential spokesperson is not only making a mockery of legally mandated minimum public health standards in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he flaunts his power as if he is beyond the rule of law,” Pinoy Aksyon said in a statement.
September
2021
Netizens and Celebrities Mock Harry Roque for Challenging VP Leni Robredo to a WPS Debate
"Ang importante po yung debate, VP," Roque said when questioned about Robredo's comment that it should be Carpio and Duterte who conduct the public debate regarding the West Philippine Sea issue (WPS). Roque's dare was criticized on Twitter by Netizens and celebrities. Roque was also criticized by Atty. Barry Gutierrez, Robredo's spokesperson, for having the audacity to challenge the Vice President.
October
2021
Harry Roque's Damp Pants Dance Explodes Up Social Media
Roque recently attended the UniTeam caravan in Ilocos Norte. And, as he did at the proclamation rally at the Philippine Arena, Roque danced as he was introduced on stage. Roque's clothes were also soaked, which drew attention on social media.
February
2022
Protesters Oppose the Philippines' Nomination of Harry Roque to the International Law Commission
"Rallyists from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – USA and other groups protested outside Aretsky's Patroon, where Roque claimed to be giving a private event for representatives of several foreign missions in New York.
“No justice, no peace, stop the killings in the Philippines!” and “Roque out of ILC!” protesters screamed, as heard on Bayan – USA's Facebook Live video.
Another protester said, “He has failed to uphold international law! He has justified the killings of Filipino women!”
October
2021
'It could've been worse,' says Roque of the 27 Million Filipinos who are Jobless
"Ako po ay nagagalak na hindi tayo 100 percent nawalan ng trabaho kasi sa tagal po naka-lockdown tayo, talagang I'm still surprised at our resilience at 45 percent pa lang po ang nawawalan ng trabaho," Roque said at a news conference. "It could have been worse, kasi nga po complete lockdown ang nangyayari sa atin.
“It is very uncaring, it is not very appropriate to have such sentiment this time. The people on the streets are hurting to survive,” Barcelon told CNN Philippines.
August
2020
'Hindi pwede pihikan': Filipinos Cannot Pick which COVID-19 Vaccination they will Receive from the Government
"Those on the vaccination priority list can sign a waiver if they do not wish to get the vaccine that has been given to them. They will then be removed from the list, according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
"Wala pong pilian, wala po kasing pilitan... Tama lang po 'yan, walang pilian kasi natin mako-control talaga kung ano'ng darating at libre po ito," he said in an online briefing.
January
2021
If Bill on Fake News Becomes a Law Harry Roque would Resign
"I promise that if one such law is enacted by Congress, I will resign from my post and I will sue in front of the Supreme Court to challenge its constitutionality," Roque stated
"Malacañang has never tolerated fake news. We maintain that freedom of the press is anchored on responsibilities and one such responsibility is total commitment to the truth," Roque added
February
2018
We Beat the UP's Prediction
The University of the Philippines OCTA group projected that by the end of June positive cases of Covid-19 will reach 40,000.
As of June 29 there are 36,438 covid-19 cases in the country which prompted Roque to rejoice in a media briefing stating:
"Today is the last day na pala! Ano bang sinasabi ko? Wala na po, panalo na pala tayo! (What was I saying? Disregard that. We already won!) We beat the UP prediction po! We beat it! Congratulations, Philippines!"
June
2020
Lower House Demands Harry Roque's Resignation After Berating Doctors
Gaite and Cullamat demanded for early resignation of Roque as spokesperson:
“Between doctors who have more knowledge on how to deal with a pandemic, and a presidential spokesperson and this administration who’s been nothing but “palpak” (failure) in its pandemic response, malinaw naman sinong dapat panigan (it is clear who should be supported),” said Gaite
September
2021
Harry Roque Scolds Doctor
During an IATF meeting Spox. Harry Roque burst into anger to Dra. Limpin the President of Philippine College of Physicians
"We employed the 'entire government approach' thinking about economic ramifications, thinking about the people [who] will go hungry. It does not mean that we care any less,"
September
2021
Locsin Slams 'Not Competent' Roque and Advises Him to Stay Away from Foreign Matters
Teodoro Locsin Jr. has criticized Harry Roque for his controversial statements on foreign affairs, including China's new law authorizing its coast guard to shoot on foreign boats in disputed areas and Myanmar's coup. He stated that Roque is "not competent" to react to a Beijing rule that allows the Chinese coast guard to fire foreign vessels spotted in China-claimed reefs.
February
2021
Roque Defends 'Misogynistic' Miss World Pageant Question
Roque, a pageant judge at the Miss World Philippines 2021, questioned one of the contestants: “The frontrunner in all the surveys for the post of president is a woman. If she were to ask you, should she run for president even if her children are very young, what advice would you give her?” This did not sit well with some observers and netizens, who accused him of sexism and said the question was inappropriate for an event aimed at empowering women.
October
2021
Video Refuting Harry Roque's Claim Surfaced Online
A video with 616k views and reaching 72k reactions have surfaced on TikTok with a thumbnail stating "Roque Sinungaling" in which screenshots of cases against Ferdinand Marcos Jr. were used to refute Harry Roque's claims. A TikTok content creator with a username @misspricipaloffice stated that one of Roque's required reading for his students when he was still teaching in UP, is a case about Hilao v. Estate of Ferdinand Marcos.
March
2022
Old Quote Card of Harry Roque About Martial Law Resurfaced on Social Media
Former secretary Roque stated in a letter to Interaksyon that he "never made any statement denying the atrocities of Martial Law."
Others, meanwhile, cited a quotation card from ABS-CBN News from 2018 in which Roque blasted former senator Juan Ponce Enrile and Marcos Jr. for alleged historical revisionism.
His quote reads: “I don’t think they can twist history when there’s a law and there are court decisions attesting to what happened under martial law.”
March
2022
Luke Espiritu Criticises Roque for Running Under Marcos Jr.'s Slate
Partido Lakas ng Masa senatorial candidate Luke Espiritu rejected both claims concerning Martial Law and the Marcoses made by fellow candidates human-rights lawyer-turned-government-spokesperson Harry Roque and suspended lawyer Larry Gadon. During the debate, former human rights lawyer Harry Roque defended the dictator's son and presidential contender Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., claiming that Marcos Jr. had no record of human rights crimes. Espiritu instantly reacted to Roque by mentioning the former spokesperson's track record, which ranged from being a human rights fighter to a Senate candidate on Marcos' slate.
March
2022