Statement of Marcos Cabinet Top Official on Duterte Camp’s Request amid ICC Detention
Marcos Cabinet top official Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin was asked about the request of the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is detained under the custody of the International Criminal Court or ICC in The Hague, Netherlands for more than five (5) months now. Supposedly, the confirmation of charges was set on September 23 but his camp claimed that the former President is “not fit to stand trial”.
Duterte is faced with an allegation of crimes against humanity over the war on drugs of his administration. It was last March 11 when he was arrested by the Philippine authorities who assisted the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
Amid the postponement of the confirmation of charges hearing as former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is “not fit to stand trial”, his camp made a request to the Marcos Jr. administration. Previously, Pres. Bongbong Marcos was heavily-criticized over the arrest and the transfer of custody of his predecessor to the ICC.
Malacañang, amid the criticisms against the President and the government, stressed that the government had to act on the arrest of Duterte in lieu of its commitment with the Interpol. The Palace maintained that Marcos Jr. did not commit betrayal.
Recently, Nicholas Kaufman, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyer, expressed his hope that the Marcos admin will allow the return of the former President to the Philippines. The British-Israeli Lawyer hopes that his client will be allowed to spend his interim release in his home country until the end of the legal proceedings.
Recently, Marcos Cabinet top official Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin was asked about the request of the camp of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte for his return to the Philippines. Based on a report on Inquirer, Bersamin shrugged off the request saying the government does not care about the opinions of Kaufman.
“Who is Kaufman? I am not too sure how to respond to that because that’s outside of our purview. Whatever opinions supposed lawyers have about their respective clients, we leave it to them. We should not be made to react because we do not care about their comments,” the Marcos Cabinet top official said.
Previously, ahead of the scheduled date for the confirmation of charges, the ICC Registry confirmed receiving more applications from ‘victims’ who want to participate in the case against former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.