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

“Tinutoo niya ang pangako niya na mananalo tayo dito sa giyera laban sa pinagbabawal na droga" “Rather than a legacy of notoriety, I think it will be a true legacy of the President,”

July

2021

"For same sex marriage, I would like to believe na basta mayroon silang marriage contract, they should be allowed in. My professional view is you apply conflicts of law, if it is valid, the marriage was valid in a jurisdiction were it was solemnized, then it should be recognized as valid here in the Philippines. Kasi hindi naman dito ginawa iyong kasal, doon sa hurisdiksyon na allowed siya."

December

2020

“Pabor po ako diyan dahil hindi po puwede manghimasok ang estado pagdating sa isyu kung sinong mamahalin at sinong magiging kapiling sa buhay”

February

2022

“Well, maski po tayo manghinayang e tapos na po ang boksing. At dumaan na po sa proseso sang ayon sa Saligang batas, wala na po tayong magagawa. Let’s move on,”

July

2020

“Ang pagpapasa ng death penalty, pagbubuhay, iyan ay sa mula’t-mula prayoridad ng ating presidente. Pero nakasalalay ang mangyayari riyan sa batas na ‘yan sa kamay siempre ng mga mambabatas"

December

2020

“Wala pong bansa sa buong mundo na tinetest ang lahat ng kanilang mamamayan. Kaya nga po mali ang terminong mass testing,”

May

2020

“The President po is the lone architect of foreign policy. Hindi po totoo na hindi gumagana ang ating bilateral approach to the West Philippine Sea kasi matapos po ang halos limang taong termino ng Presidente, wala po tayong nawalang teritoryo sa Tsina, wala po tayong hidwaan sa Tsina" (2021)

May

2021

“They’re out of my jurisdiction; I can only speak for the President. I can only suggest that they be more prudent para hindi na po napapa-apologize ang ating Secretary of National Defense"

January

2021

“It was the corporation that made the bid so there was no need to scrutinize the [persons] behind the corporation,” “Maybe the identity of the bidder would be important if he bidded in his individual capacity. But what we look at is if that company has not been blacklisted by the government for failing to deliver in previous transactions or is not paying taxes,”

September

2021

“The community pantry represents the best in the Filipino. I don’t think anyone can claim to be a founder of that. I think this is a spontaneous movement amongst Filipinos. It’s part of our psyche to help one another kapag meron talagang panahon ng pangangailangan (especially during times of need). I don’t see that as a condemnation of government. It simply shows the best in us during the worst of times,”

April

2021

“Wala po akong nakikitang tension sa West Philippine Sea,”

March

2021

"We were excellent. Nakontrol po natin ang pagkalat ng sakit lalung-lalo na kung ikukumpara tayo sa mas mayayaman at mga bansa na mas mararami at mas moderno ang mga ospital,"

March

2021

“At ang deklarasyon ng martial law ngayon pupuwedeng kuwestiyunin sa Kongreso, pupuwedeng kuwestiyunin sa hukuman dahil nga po natuto na tayo sa mapait na karanasan natin sa martial law noong 1970"

September

2020

“...at importante po na talagang ma-control ang ating mga carbon dioxide emission dahil ito yung dahilan kung bakit tayo nagkakaroon tayo ng extreme weather gaya ng matinding init"

May

2021

"It's not too bad compared to our neighbors as in fact it is better than what was stated by Secretary Honasan. As stated by former (information and communication technology undersecretary Eliseo) Rio, it's higher than what was mentioned by Secretary Honasan,"

September

2020

Before enrolling in on-campus classes, students should have their COVID19 shots, according to Roque. “I am convinced more than ever that face-to-face classes are very important. I attempted to teach law again for one semester, sumuko po ako dahil I cannot do it online, although previously I was a full-time law professor at the UP College of Law,”

January

2022

“Pabor din po ako dyan kasi talaga naman pong may mga taong nagkakamali ang nagbabayad po ay ang mga anak”

February

2022