Following Confirmation of Charges, ICC Rejects All Argument of Duterte’s Defense Team
ICC – The International Criminal Court rejected and dismissed all the arguments of the defense team of former President Rodrigo Duterte and upheld his detention.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte previously skipped the confirmation of charges hearing set by the foreign court. According to the 80-year-old former Chief Executive, he still does not recognize the jurisdiction of the foreign court over him.
Duterte also stressed in his letter to the International Criminal Court that he is old and frail. He asked for respect for his peace inside the cell which it has put him in. According to the former President, he has accepted the possibility that he might die while in prison.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte was represented by his lead counsel, British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, at the confirmation of charges hearing. Six (6) Filipinos including former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and former presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo were added to the Duterte ICC legal team.
Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman previously expressed his hope that the ICC will dismiss all the charges against the former President. According to the British-Israeli Lawyer, if it happens, he will ask the foreign court for the return of the former President to his family and the Filipino people.
Kaufman maintained that former Pres. Duterte is innocent from the allegations against him. The prosecutors charged the former President with three (3) counts of murder as alleged crimes against humanity.
Recently, the ICC released a decision that is contrary to what the lawyer of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte has hoped for. Based on News5, the foreign court upholds the detention of the former Chief Executive.
“Having rejected or dismissed all of the defense’s arguments, the Appeals Chamber rejects the defense’s ground of appeal in its entirety,” the ICC state in its ruling based on the post.
Previously, Nicholas Kaufman claimed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is not monitoring the legal proceedings of the ICC. According to the British-Israeli, fulfilling his legal duties, he informs the former President about the happenings in the case.
Kaufman stressed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte wants to be remembered “as a faithful servant of the people”. He reiterated that the former Chief Executive has accepted the possibility of dying in prison.