Roque says he’s ‘bereft of political plans’

MANILA – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday maintained that he is “bereft of political plans” despite saying in another interview that he is yet to decide whether to run for political office in the next elections.

“Hindi naman po nagbago. Sabi ko nga, para maging epektibo ako bilang tagapagsalita, kinakailangan isantabi muna yung mga planong ‘yan at sabihin kung anong mga kinakailangan sabihin sa taongbayan (It hasn’t changed. I said, to be an effective spokesperson, I need to set aside those plans and say what I need to say to the people),” he said in a Palace press briefing.

In an interview with actress Aiko Melendez in a vlog dated Jan. 23, Roque said he was unsure of his plans for the upcoming elections.

However, a month earlier, Roque said he was already “contented” with his life and looking forward to retirement.

Roque said that trying to win the public’s vote limited his role as the President’s spokesperson.

“Kung ikaw kasi palaging nanliligaw, limitado ang iyong puwedeng sabihin, limitado ang iyong aktwasyon (If you keep courting the public, you’ll be limited in what you can say, limited in what you can do),” he added.

He said deciding to focus on his job, instead of political ambition, has freed him from having to talk or act in such a way that would win over the public.

“Ngayon po (Now), I think I’ve been liberated. Bereft of political plans, I can say what I say in a matter that I think should be done. So hindi po nagbabago ang ating paninindigan (my stand has not changed),” he said.

In April 2020, Roque returned as the President’s spokesperson more than a year after he stepped down to run as senator.

Duterte first appointed Roque in October 2017, replacing outgoing presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella.

Roque stepped down as presidential spokesperson in October 2018 to run for a seat in the House of Representatives under Luntiang Pilipinas party-list.

He later decided to run for a Senate seat against the advice of Duterte, who thought that he had a slim chance of winning.

He eventually withdrew from the senatorial race during the 2019 mid-term elections due to health reasons.

Roque, a former House Deputy Minority Leader, was principal author of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) law.