Atty. Harry Roque Wants To See Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte
HARRY ROQUE – The former presidential spokesman still hopes that he will part of the International Criminal Court (ICC) legal team of former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Following the unexpected arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte that shocked the Filipino populace, countless Filipinos were also surprised to see Roque in The Hague, Netherlands. He was spotted talking to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
It was the first time since September when Harry Roque appeared in public. He was issued an arrest warrant for contempt by the House of Representatives but has been into hiding since September. Amid the calls of the Duterte supporters to bring the former President home, Malacañang encouraged the people to call for “Bring Roque Home”.
Roque previously claimed that he will be part of the ICC legal team of Duterte. He vowed to bring the former President home to the country and said he will apply for asylum in the Netherlands so he won’t be forced to go home as he defends the former President.
However, contrary to what the former presidential spokesman said, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte said that Harry Roque and Salvador Medialdea won’t be part of her father’s ICC legal team. According to her, the former presidential spokesman should focus on his application for asylum.
Former ES Medialdea served as Duterte’s legal counsel during his initial appearance before the pre-trial chamber of the ICC last March 15. He was one of the three (3) people who accompanied the former President in his flight to The Hague. However, he met a medical emergency while at the ICC detention facility when he was about to visit FPRRD.
Despite his previous statement that it is Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s call on who will be part of the ICC legal team of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, based on a report on PhilStar, Harry Roque is still hoping to be part of the legal team of the former President. He even wants to be able to talk to Duterte personally.
“I’m still hoping to see the (former) president as it is he who will approve his legal counsels,” Roque said.
Based on the report, Roque has a pending case with British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, the lead counsel of Duterte, to visit the former President in his detention cell. According to the former presidential spokesman, he cannot visit FPRRD as a potential counsel without the consent of Kaufman.
Previously, Duterte’s lead counsel confirmed “working on” filing for an interim release bid of the former Philippine President. Roque is confident that the ICC will grant the interim release of Duterte.