Harry Roque torn between UP Law, politics

To teach law or make laws? Lawyer Harry Roque says the decision is still in the air. INQUIRER.NET FILE

For university professor Harry Roque, the choice is to continue teaching law or take a shot at making them.

Roque faced a press conference on Thursday and said that the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) was offering him to run for the Senate under the party of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“Inalok tayo. Pero kapalit ng pagtakbo sa Senado, ay kinakailangan ko magresign bilang professor,” (I was offered, but in exchange for running for the Senate I would need to resign [my job] as a professor.)

Roque, who teaches law at the University of the Philippines, said the choice would depend on where he could directly serve the country.

Whatever his decision would be, he said he would go after President Benigno Aquino III, the Liberal Party chair, over the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which has been declared unsconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

BACKSTORY: SC declares parts of DAP unconstitutional

In the meantime, he said he would keep his hands off Aquino’s purported involvement in the botched antiterror raid in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, where 67 people died, including 44 members of the police Special Action Force (SAF).

“Aasahan niyo po na pag malapit na matapos ang termino ni PNoy at mayroon na po siyang kaso. Bakit pa magsasampa ngayon kung immune naman siya from suit?” (You can expect that PNoy will have a case against him near the end of his term. Why file charges when he is still immune from suit?) Roque said, referring to the president.

He said the corruption allegations against Vice President Binay and his son, suspended-Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, over the alleged overprice of government buildings in the city would not stand in court.

“I have read the charges and, as a lawyer, I don’t think they will stand in court,” Roque said.

Roque said the Senate needed leaders who are seasoned experts in law.

“Considering kung sino nasa Senado ngayon, kalahati hindi maintindihan ano ang batas. Yan ang nag-uudyok saken… As I said, nag-iisip pa ako,” (Considering those already in the Senate, half can’t understand the law. That’s what’s egging me to run. As I said, I am still considering it) said Roque.