The Hague, Netherlands — On Tuesday, Vice President Sara Duterte shared the recent developments regarding the situation and ICC case of her father, then President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a brief media interview in the Hague, Netherlands—after her second visit to her father in ICC’s detention—VP Sara made clarifications about the legal defense team of the former president for his case.
Among the clarifications is that former secretary Salvador Medialdea and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque will not be part of the elder Duterte’s legal counsel in his crimes against humanity case in ICC.
This is in contrast to her earlier statement that the two will be supporting lawyers on her father’s case.
VP Sara noted that while British-Israeli lawyer Atty. Nicholas Kaufman has been confirmed as the lead lawyer of the defense team, the two Filipino lawyers will not take part in the line-up.
She said that she is in the process of interviewing other lawyers that will be part of their camp’s defense team, taking high consideration of hiring lawyers that have experience in an ICC case.
“Mayroon pa akong mga kakausaping mga lawyers. Mayroon pang darating na isang abogado. Mai-interview ko siya para sumali sa team,” she said.
Meanwhile, Roque’s non-inclusion in the line up is because the basis of his stay in the Netherlands have not been established yet, hence, they are avoiding complications in the case.
The Vice President further explained that while Roque is processing his request for asylum, they would want a lawyer whose only focus would be her father’s case.
“Gusto namin nakatutok talaga yung lawyers doon sa kaso. Right now, he’s, I heard, applying for asylum. He publicly announced that already. We want him to focus on his asylum, and we want our lawyers to focus on the case,” VP Sara explained.