Joel Butuyan, ICC Lawyer, Speaks on Duterte Camp’s Latest Appeal
ICC lawyer Joel Butuyan cited the remarks of the family members of former President Rodrigo Duterte which opposed the ‘cognitive impairment’ claim of his lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman.
The International Criminal Court has ruled to postpone the confirmation of charges hearing of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The former Chief Executive is faced with an allegation of crimes against humanity over the war on drugs of his administration. He is detained under the custody of the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands since March.
Supposedly, the confirmation of charges hearing is set on September 23. The ruling to postpone the inquiry came after Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, claimed that his client is not fit to stand trial. Recently, Duterte’s lawyer, asked the ICC to adjourn all legal proceedings indefinitely. He claimed that the former President is allegedly suffering from a ‘cognitive impairment’ that will either remain ‘static’ or continue deteriorating even with a medical intervention.
The appeal of Nicholas Kaufman to the ICC came after he expressed his hope that the Marcos Jr. administration will allow the former President to return home to the Philippines for his interim release until the end of all of the legal proceedings. However, ICC lawyer Joel Butuyan cited the previous remarks of the Duterte family members versus the claim of the British-Israeli lawyer that Duterte is suffering from ‘cognitive impairment’.
According to Butuyan, a Filipino lawyer accredited by the ICC, the Duterte family members have spoke in several previous interviews that the former President is okay and even jokes around inside the ICC detention facility. He stressed that such “behavioral evidence” is the strongest.
“Ang pinakamabigat na evidence is ‘yung behavioral evidence ni Mr. Duterte. And makikita natin ito sa mga kamag-anak na bumibisita sa kaniya. Ilang beses na nagpa-interview ‘yung mga anak niya na sinasabi nila na okay si Mr. Duterte at nagjo-joke pa nga sila. Pinag-uusapan nila ang past, present at future. Sinabi niyang wala siyang regret sa ginawa niya and he is willing to face whatever the consequences are,” the ICC lawyer said.
Based on the report, Atty. Joel Butuyan further stressed that the remarks of the Duterte family members are allegedly strong pieces of evidence that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte knows what is happening and what he has done. The ICC lawyer further emphasized that the former President’s children themselves attest to his mental fitness.
“Tingin ko malakas na ebidensya ‘yan kasi nanggagaling ‘yan sa mga tao na kung sasabihin natin na dapat pinaka-bias in favor of the former President dahil sarili niyang mga anak na ito, and the fact that they are practically attesting to the mental fitness to their father. It trumps yung mental findings ng mga doktor,” Butuyan added.
The ICC lawyer also expressed his belief that it is “normal” for an 80-year-old individual like the former President to suffer from cognitive impairment and declining memory. Amid the ongoing legal process, an ICC Prosecutor insisted that Duterte’s continued detention is allegedly necessary amid the interim release bid of the former President.
In the previous interviews, the Duterte siblings have been generous of updates about the former President and they often assured the Filipino people that he is okay. A few weeks ago, the Duterte family seemingly had a reunion inside the ICC detention facility after all four (4) children of former pres. Rodrigo Duterte were allowed to visit him altogether.
It was a few days after the said visit when Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that they are allegedly barred to talk about their visits to their father inside the ICC detention facility. ICC lawyer Nicholas Kaufman claimed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is allegedly unable to remember places, events, and even close family members.