Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, lead counsel for former President Rodrigo Duterte, on Saturday firmly denied online posts claiming Duterte was found unconscious in his ICC detention cell on November 22.
In an official statement shared via the Facebook page “Alvin and Tourism” and reposted by PDP-Laban, Kaufman stressed that the information circulating online is false and no such incident occurred.
Verbatim, he said: “I would like to state, in no uncertain terms, that the information circulating on the internet suggesting that Former President Duterte was found unconscious in his cell this morning is totally untrue.”
Kaufman added, “I have just spoken to him and he is stoically awaiting the judgment of the ICC Appeals Chamber on the matter of interim release.”
Authorities have yet to confirm the report, while Duterte’s camp continues to urge caution in spreading unverified information.
The ICC is expected to release its decision on Duterte’s interim release on Friday, November 28.