Palace says 'cannot confirm' Roque's statement

MANILA (UPDATED)— Former Duterte spokesman Harry Roque on Friday said he has been retained as private legal counsel of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.

Roque, a human rights lawyer who once criticized the Marcoses for rights abuses and excesses, claimed he is only getting paid P20 for his service.

The former lawmaker first publicly extended his services to Marcos as a private counsel during his meeting with top legal officials on Wednesday to discuss the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) probe on the drug war in the country.

Present in the meet were Marcos' chief legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and the chief of the DFA Legal Affairs Office, Assistant Secretary Domingo Nolasco.

"I confirm that I have been retained as private counsel of PBBM for the pricely (sic) sum of 20 pesos," said Roque in the social media post accompanied by a P20 bill photo.

"As such, all my conversations with the President on legal matters are covered by atty-client confidentiality," he added.

In interview on ANC, Roque said he could not divulge details regarding his consultation with Marcos.

"The attorney-client relation is only for the sole purpose of ensuring confidentiality whenever I am consulted by the President on any legal matter," he said.

"I am not covered by the so-called executive privilege, a principle which states any matter, or any exchange of information between the Cabinet member and the President remains privilege and cannot be divulged in Congress without the consent of the President," he added.

• Marcos meets with top legal officials on ICC probe

WATCH

Watch more News on iWantTFC

ROQUE AND MARCOSES

He previously criticized the Marcoses for what he described as their attempt to twist history during the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr's abuses under martial law.

“As far as the Palace is concerned, there are decisions affirming that there were grave human rights violations committed during the Marcos regime. There’s even a law in Congress which provides compensation for victims of martial law,” Roque said in a Palace press briefing in 2018.

“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," he added.

• Alarming that Imelda Marcos' conviction took 27 years: Roque

In 2021 though, Roque defended the younger Marcos, and claimed there was no evidence linking him to the atrocities of his father. Five years earlier, Roque backed an indemnification bill for human rights victims during the Marcos regime.

• 'Not a dictator': Roque says cannot attribute sins of the father to Bongbong Marcos

Roque failed to clinch a Senate seat in this year's elections.

— with a report from Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

Watch more News on iWantTFC