Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s Lawyer Speaks on Client amid his ICC Detention
Duterte’s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman expressed his hope that the Marcos Jr. administration will allow the former President’s return to the Philippines.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is detained under the custody of the International Criminal Court for more than five (5) months now. The 80-year-old former Chief Executive is faced with an accusation of crimes against humanity over the drug war of his administration.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos and the government were greatly criticized over the arrest and the transfer of Duterte’s custody to the ICC. According to Malacañang, Pres. Marcos did not commit betrayal and the government only had to act on Duterte’s arrest because of its commitment with the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization).
It was last March 11 when the former President was arrested by the Philippine authorities who assisted the Interpol. He just arrived from Hong Kong when the unexpected turn of events happened and he was flown en route for The Hague, Netherlands on the same day of his arrest.
Since the transfer of the former President’s custody to the ICC, the Duterte family members take turn in visiting him inside the ICC detention center. All four (4) Duterte siblings have recently visited former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte inside the ICC detention facility for the first time.
The confirmation of charges of the former President was initially set on September 23. However, it was recently confirmed that the ICC hearing is postponed until further notice. Former Pres. Duterte is seen “not fit to stand trial” which caused the postponement of the ICC confirmation of charges.
Recently, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, spoke about the former President and his hope for the Marcos Jr. administration to allow his client’s return to the Philippines. Based on a report on GMA News, Kaufman claimed that the “progressively deteriorating medical situation” of his client has affected his ability to assimilate the evidence as well as to give orders over the case.
Duterte’s lawyer hopes that the Marcos Jr. administration will allow his client to return to the Philippines for the purpose of interim release until the end of all the legal proceedings. Based on the report, it was the former President’s camp who reported to the ICC that he is “not fit to stand trial” that led to the postponement of the scheduled confirmation of charges hearing.
“The defense sincerely hopes that the current administration, which [saw] fit to outsource its obligation to afford the former president a fair trial in the country of his birth, will now let him return home, with dignity, for the purpose of interim release until the end of all legal proceedings,” Duterte’s lawyer told the source.
Previously, the ICC confirmed that it has accepted more applications from ‘victims’ who want to participate in the ICC case versus Duterte.