THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Ayon sa abogadong si Nicholas Kaufman, sinabi ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na “I was a faithful servant of the people, and that is how I wish to be remembered. I have now accepted my fate, and I realize I could die in prison.”
Ito’y kaugnay sa kasong murder at frustrated murder na isinampa laban sa kanya sa International Criminal Court kaugnay ng kaniyang war on drugs.
Ani Kaufman, sinabi ni Duterte na “I’ve done my duty” at “left his legacy,” at tinanong niya kung paano sinasabi ng prosecution na siya ang gumawa ng mga krimen.
Dagdag pa niya, “I’ve never murdered anyone. But they talk about thousands?”
Hindi dumalo si Duterte sa hearing at inalis ang kaniyang karapatan na dumalo, dahil hindi niya kinikilala ang hurisdiksyon ng ICC sa kaniya.
Humiling naman ang prosecutor na huwag isali ang anumang sinabi tungkol sa Duterte sa pagtatapos ng depensa, dahil “my friend can’t testify for his client or make a speech for his client.”
Sa kabuuan, sinabi ni Duterte sa kaniyang abogado na “Go to court and do your job, but I can never help you. I no longer remember much at all, and I can’t comment on people whom I do not know and on statistics that mean nothing to me.” RNT/MND
