Atty. Harry Roque Gives Message for Duterte’s ICC Lawyer Nicholas Kaufman
HARRY ROQUE – The former spokesman of ex-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte called on his International Criminal Court (ICC) lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, to end “blame game”.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is detained under the custody of the ICC since March. His ICC legal team has applied for his interim release to an undisclosed country but his lawyers recently requested the court to hold off in deciding over the interim release bid.
According to Nicholas Kaufman, the lead counsel of the former President, they still await some information and documents that would support the interim release bid of Duterte. The ICC legal team of Duterte which is led by Kaufman includes all foreign lawyers including French lawyer Dov Jacobs.
However, recently, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman claimed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte wants Harry Roque to stop meddling in his ICC case and just return to the Philippines. The British-Israeli lawyer also claimed that it allegedly came to him that Roque met with a Dutch lawyer who claimed that Duterte’s former spokesman want to sue the Dutch government over his former boss’ arrest.
Kaufman stressed that Roque allegedly “portrayed himself as the only person capable of defending” former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. He previously expressed his desire to be part of the ICC legal team but Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that they want all the lawyers in the team to really be focusing in her father’s case.
According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, Roque should focus on his asylum bid instead. The former presidential spokesman has a pending arrest warrant issued by a Philippine court over his alleged involvement in the illegal operation of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs in the country.
Harry Roque denied meddling in the ICC case of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. According to him, he just offered domestic legal remedies and even Vice Pres. Sara Duterte has acknowledged it that they have talked. His claim came following Kaufman’s statement that FPRRD nor anyone else near him is not interested to have Roque as lawyer.
Recently, Harry Roque made a call for Duterte’s ICC lawyer Nicholas Kaufman. Based on a report on Inquirer, the former presidential Spokesman called on the British-Israeli lawyer to end the “blame game” and focus in the pursuit to bring the former President home to the Philippines.
“I thus call on Atty. Nicholas Kaufman to put an end to this blame game and simply channel his time and energy to bring the former President home alive to make the Filipinos the happiest persons on earth. I hope this puts the record straight,” Roque said.
Harry Roque is currently an asylum seeker in The Netherlands. The Department of Justice previously confirmed that the arrest warrant against him cannot be served right away but they will make an extra effort in the pursuit to bring Roque home.