THE HAGUE – Hindi na umaasa si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa nagpapatuloy na confirmation of charges hearings sa kanyang kaso sa International Criminal Court (ICC), sinabi ng legal counsel ni Duterte na si Nicholas Kaufman nitong Lunes, Pebrero 23.
“He’s, frankly, not holding up any hopes and not expecting too great. We assure him that we have the evidence and that we’re convinced that we can put a good show for him and that’s what we will do,” ani Kaufman sa panayam ng GMA News.
Sinabihan din umano sila ni Duterte na baka sa detention sa The Hague na ito abutan ng pagpanaw.
“He said it a couple of times, and quite a few times to our considerable consternation. But we do sit with him, and part of the time, cheering him up. Keep him occupied. We push him, we said to him ‘go out, have some exercise,’” sinabi pa ni Kaufman.
Ang pahayag ni Kaufman ay kasabay ng unang araw ng confirmation of charges hearings ng Pre Trial Chamber I kaugnay sa war on drugs ng Duterte administration.
Kamakailan ay sinabi ni Vice President Sara Duterte na ang kanyang 80-anyos na ama ay humiling na i-cremate na lamang siya sa oras na mamatay habang nasa detention.
Ani Kaufman, imposible sa dating Pangulo na tumakas o takutin ang mga witness dahil sa kanyang medical condition.
“Whether or not the former President would be likely to flee, whether or not he would intimidate witnesses of the prosecution, whether or not he continue to commit crimes. All of which, our medical experts said would be impossible because of his medical condition.”
Maaalala na tinanggihan ng ICC ang apela ni Duterte sa rejection ng kanyang hiling para sa interim release.
Samantala, sinabi ng legal team ni Duterte na hindi sila magpipresenta ng kahit anong ebidensya sa confirmation of charges hearing upang maiwasan ang prosekusyon na labanan ito kahit hindi pa nagsisimula ang paglilitis.
“The answer is quite clearly, we will not be presenting evidence,” sinabi ni Kaufman.
“The prosecution is entitled to continue its investigation so if the charges are confirmed, then they will take what we presented at confirmation and go on attack it, and investigate and try to disprove it,” dagdag pa niya.
Sa kabila nito, sinabi ni Kaufman na ang kanyang team ay maglalabas ng bagay na “crucial and fundamental” sa kaso.
“We will be presenting something, and I’m not gonna tell you what because I’m not gonna disclose our strategy in advance of the hearing because I’m not gonna give the prosecution a head start when I don’t need to, but we will be disclosing something which is crucial and fundamental to the case.” RNT/JGC
