NAKATAKDANG sagutin ng prosecution na humahawak sa kasong crimes against humanity laban kay dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa International Criminal Court (ICC) ang kanyang kahilingan para sa interim release o pansamantalang pagpapalaya sa ibang bansa, na ayon sa kanyang legal counsel ay sumang-ayon na tanggapin siya.
Inutusan ng korte ang prosekusyon na magkomento sa pahayag ng depensa na pumayag itong hindi tutulan ang interim release, basta’t natutugunan ang mga partikular na kundisyon.
“The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court will file before the Pre-Trial Chamber I a response to the defense’s request for the interim release of Mr. Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” sabi ng tanggapan.
Kaugnay nito, mariing tinutulan ng iba’t ibang grupo, mga pamilya at kanilang mga abogado ang petisyon ni Duterte dahil iskema lamang niya ito upang matakasan ang tiyak na hatol na guilty sa kanya ng ICC.
“Mariin naming tinututulan ang petisyon ni Duterte para sa pansamantalang paglaya. Malaki ang panganib na lalo pang tataas ang pananakot sa mga biktima at kanilang mga abogado kapag siya ay pinalaya. Dapat unahin ng ICC ang kaligtasan ng mga naghahanap ng hustisya,” pahayag ni Atty. Neri Colmenares, human rights lawyer at abogado ng mga biktima ng drug war ni Duterte.
Kinuwestiyon niya ang pagtiyak ni Duterte na susundin ang mga utos ng korte at haharap sa paglilitis lalo na’t kilala ito sa hindi pagtupad sa mga pangako
“Pres. Duterte knows that if the charges are confirmed and trial takes place, he has no evidence to prove that he is innocent of the EJKs during his term. He knows, he will surely get convicted once trial takes place. So, escape is now an option and he has the resources and the network of support that can facilitate this. Even Kaufman admitted this when he declared that “The risk of flight cannot be based on the hypothetical because a hypothetical possibility, by its very nature, can never be entirely ruled out”.
Wala rin aniyang katotohanan na wala ng impluwensya o kapangyarihan ang mga Duterte dahil nasa kapangyarihan pa rin sila at sa katunayan ay “pinapatay” ang impeachment complaint laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
“The claim of Duterte in paragraph 32 of his application that he can no longer escape because he “does not command the same influence or power” is not true. The Duterte’s are still in power and are very powerful that they can even manage to kill the OVP impeachment complaint. Pres. Duterte is the Mayor of Davao City, his son is the Vice Mayor, his other son is a congressman, his daughter is the Vice-President and many of his relatives and supporters are in public office,” Colmenares asserted,” sabi ni Colmenares.
“Pres. Duterte has a long history of reneging on his promises and commitments starting with his jet ski antics in the West Philippine Sea. He has consistently attacked the Court and there is no evidence that Kaufman can submit to prove that he is now willing to follow the orders of the Court. He has the motive and the resources to escape and go to another country or even go back to the Philippines. The Prosecution and the Court cannot trust Pres. Duterte,” dagdag niya.
“We call on the ICC and the international community to remain steadfast in the pursuit of justice. Let us ensure that impunity does not prevail and that the voices of the victims and their families are heard and protected,” pagtatapos ni Colmenares. (ROSE NOVENARIO)