Duterte camp eyes suspension of September 23 ICC hearing

MANILA, Philippines — The defense team of former president Rodrigo Duterte has confirmed its plan to ask pre-trial judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to suspend the confirmation of charges hearing on Sept. 23.

In a four-page notification made public yesterday, defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman informed the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I of supposed delays in accessing various information regarding the case.

The heavily redacted filing confirmed that the defense team will use new information to raise an issue “as a bar to the holding of a hearing on the confirmation of charges.”

Set on Sept. 23, the confirmation of charges hearing is part of an ICC procedure that would determine if there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial.

If charges are confirmed, the case will be assigned to a trial chamber, where additional evidence may be presented.

The Sept. 23 hearing would be Duterte’s second appearance before the tribunal after his initial appearance from a detention facility on March 14.

Lawyer Kristina Conti, who represents some of the victims of the Duterte administration’s drug war, said victims and the public are concerned about the developments, noting that the “document containing the charges has also not yet been released publicly.”

“There seems to be a delay as to some information transmitted between the parties, and one of these, Duterte will use in his defense. Until some clarity, including the issuance of reports by defense experts, Duterte says a confirmation hearing cannot be heard as scheduled,” she said.

The defense earlier requested a status conference “to determine the most efficient way to proceed” with matters involving proceedings.

They also asked judges to defer ruling on its request for Duterte’s interim release.

Sara to Abante: Stop interjecting

House spokesperson Princess Abante should focus on her job as the lower chamber’s mouthpiece and stop chiming in on ICC proceedings, impeached Vice President Sara Duterte said yesterday.

“Huwag na siya sumawsaw. The ICC is out of her league,” Duterte said in an interview in The Hague, Netherlands.

Abante earlier said the Vice President should know how international judicial bodies operate, noting that legal remedies, such as motions to dismiss, must be raised in the appropriate forum.

Duterte’s father is detained in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity stemming from his drug war that claimed over 6,000 lives.

The Vice President, meanwhile, is facing an impeachment trial after being charged with graft and corruption, among others.

Baste slams Torre

Meanwhile, acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte yesterday said “f**k you” in reaction to Philippine Nation[1]al Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III’s call for unity among Duterte supporters.

Torre made the remark as Duterte supporters are reportedly spreading misinformation and propaganda against the government.

In his podcast, the acting mayor reiterated claims that Torre “kidnapped” his father and accused him of harassment.

“You are only brave because you are in position... But you are a coward. You are nothing without your position,” Duterte said.

‘No more Marcos’

Claiming that she can “see the future,” the Vice President has declared that when Marcos’ term ends in 2028, “nobody will vote for a Marcos ever in the history of the Philippines.”

Recalling a conversation she had with her father in his detention cell, Duterte said she is “now a fortune teller.”

Referring to Marcos, she said, “Who are his allies? The dilawan. When the election comes, they will choose a dilawan. They will not choose a Marcos.”

“Who else are their allies now? The Makabayan. I told him, if Makabayan will not give up its moneymaking philosophy, that they would want to overthrow the administration and they want to install their own government. Nobody would vote for them,” she added.

She noted that Marcos had asked for her support in the 2022 elections, knowing that former vice president Leni Robredo has many supporters.

Saying she voted for Marcos in the 2022 polls, the Vice President exclaimed, “Nagmahay na ako! Natagam…,” expressing regret for having done so.

Meanwhile, Duterte said her father vowed to support her if she decides to run for president in 2028.

“He said, ‘I just hope I am already released during the campaign,’” she recalled her father as saying.

Duterte maintained that she has no responsibility to listen to the President’s fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28. — Bella Cariaso, Diana Lhyd Suelto