Roque blasts activists rally in New York

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte’s spokesman, who is seeking to join the International Law Commission (ILC), assailed yesterday activists who held a rally at a New York restaurant to decry his nomination to the body that recommends policies to the United Nations.

Members of Bayan-USA and activists from New York and New Jersey trooped to the Aretsky’s Patroon restaurant in Manhattan on Friday to disrupt a cocktail reception for Secretary Harry Roque Jr., whom they called “the spokesperson for Duterte’s fascist regime.

A video posted on Bayan – USA’s Facebook account showed the protesters trying to enter the restaurant and chanting, “Stop the killings in the Philippines! No justice, no peace!” and “Roque out of ILC!”

Restaurant employees managed to drive the protesters away, but the activists were unfazed and continued their rally outside the establishment. They also accused the restaurant staff of “protecting a war criminal.”

“We are here because there is a war criminal in this restaurant. We are here because there is a criminal who is committing crimes against the Filipino people and we cannot rest until this is addressed,” an activist said.

Roque said innocent people were harmed and certain properties were damaged during the protest.

“We deplore the effort of militant groups to deliberately cause harm to innocent people in their attempt to disrupt a private reception we were tendering for representatives of several foreign missions in New York,” the presidential spokesman and lawyer said in a statement.

“The militant groups were not content to peacefully rally outside the restaurant. They charged upstairs, in the process injuring two elderly waiters and causing damage to property. The restaurant also informed us that the rallyists ordered food and beverage but did not pay for them,” he added.

The Philippines has nominated Roque to a seat in the ILC but various groups have since opposed his nomination, saying he has defended alleged human rights violations under the Duterte administration.

Roque has accused his critics of politicizing his nomination to the ILC and has maintained that he is qualified to become a member of the body because of his credentials in public international law and experience as a public interest lawyer.