Malacañang Usec. Claire Castro Reacts To Duterte Lawyer’s Remarks
CLAIRE CASTRO – The Malacañang press officer reacted to the statement of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.
Amid the confirmation of charges hearing of the case against former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court, his lead counsel, British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, asserted that Duterte is “innocent”. The ICC lawyer claimed that there was no direct order from the former President to kill the drug suspects.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is detained under the custody of the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands for nearly a year now. It was last March 11 when he was arrested by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and was flown out of the country for the transfer of his custody to the ICC on the same day.
Amid the criticisms, Malacañang defended Pres. Bongbong Marcos and the government. Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro claimed that the government only acted on the arrest in lieu of its commitment with the Interpol.
Atty. Claire Castro also stressed that Marcos Jr. did not commit betrayal over the arrest and the transfer of custody of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. As for his camp, British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman hopes that the ICC will dissolve the case against the former President.
The British-Israeli Lawyer also stressed that he will ask the foreign court to return the former President to his family and the Filipino people. Previously, the ICC rejected the interim release appeal of Duterte.
Previously, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman claimed that he will go to the Philippines and talk about the interim release of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte if he will be invited by Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro. Based on News5, the Malacañang official reacted to it saying she will not have the said discussion with the British-Israeli Lawyer.
“First of all, I’m not inviting [Atty. Nicholas Kaufman]. If ever, everybody is welcome to see the beauty of our country… And if he will be coming to the Philippines, I am more than happy to treat him,” Castro said.
According to Usec. Claire Castro, she will buy Kaufman some Filipino food but she will not talk to him about the interim release of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Based on the post, she would rather talk with him about the beautiful places in the country.
“[I will] buy him balut, bagoong, kwek-kwek, IUD, adidas. But I will not discuss about the interim release because it has already been dissolved by the ICC. Pag-uusapan lang namin ang ganda ng Palawan, El Nido, Manila Zoo,” the Palace official said.
Amid the confirmation of charges hearing, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman claimed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is allegedly not monitoring the legal proceedings.