Let’s be fair to Harry Roque

The recent calls for presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to be disbarred (“The human rights lawyer who abandoned his principles,” 7/28/21; “Roque should be disbarred,” 7/19/21) are neither here nor there. Seriously, it’s laughable. If lawyers can be disbarred for the things Roque has been doing, probably none in the Philippine legal profession would survive.

Let’s be brutally frank and honest about it. Very much like those dames engaged in the world’s “oldest profession,” Roque is merely doing and saying things his client tells him to do or say — for the right price. Isn’t that exactly what lawyers are into? And what’s Roque’s price? Millions in salaries, allowances, perks and privileges, all paid for by taxpayers.

It’s really a job to die for, never mind all the lying that it entails. Roque could only dream about such luxury and saw no chance whatsoever of enjoying any of it when he was just a defender of “human rights” victims. However dramatic his total transmogrification might be into the staunchest defender of a “human rights” violator, who could blame him? After all those years of doing missionary work, the guy really seemed hungry for money, fame, and glory. But hey, aren’t 99 percent of the lawyers in this country? So, please, let’s be fair to the “Palace Pinocchio.”

ANNALEE LAUDER
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