MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s lead counsel in the International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings has distanced the legal team from former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, branding his recent actions as unauthorized and potentially damaging to the case.
Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte’s international legal counsel, said the former chief executive neither invited nor welcomed Roque’s involvement, warning that the ex-spokesman’s legal troubles in the Philippines could undermine Duterte’s defense.
“The former President has expressed no desire to see Harry Roque or to be assisted by him. Harry Roque is a fugitive from justice in the Philippines and the former President thought it best not to have his ICC defense compromised by engaging him (Roque),” Kaufman said.
Kaufman also slammed Roque for attempting to involve a Dutch lawyer, Kort Geding, in filing a case against the Dutch government in connection with Duterte’s potential transfer to ICC custody — a move he said was made without any legal authority or coordination.
“This is not the first time I’ve heard such a crazy scheme. I would put it that way because at the end of the day, the Netherlands have to be involved in any request to release an individual from the court,” Kaufman said. “So to initiate a case in the Netherlands, against the Netherlands would be a big mistake.”
Roque, for his part, denied interfering in Duterte’s legal proceedings, emphasizing that his actions were rooted in loyalty and concern.
“My support to the Duterte Legal Defense continues. There is no truth that I have interfered in the case or I have given statements that might affect the Defense legal strategy in the International Criminal Court (ICC),” Roque said in a Facebook post.
“As a loyal foot soldier of the Dutertes, I have no wish but to bring the former President back to the Philippines alive. And like many Duterte diehard supporters, I feel a sense of frustration on the pre-trial detention of our beloved President. I thus offered an additional legal remedy, outside of the ICC, subject to the approval of the former President and his family,” he added.
“I cannot be blamed for devising remedies to bring former President Duterte home alive. No such idea can be characterized as a crazy scheme,” Roque further said./PN
