Former President Rodrigo Duterte has made it clear that he does not want his former Presidential Spokesperson, Atty. Harry Roque, to intervene in his ongoing case before the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to his legal counsel, Atty. Nicholas Kaufman.
Kaufman said Duterte remains concerned that Roque’s involvement could negatively affect his defense, noting that the former spokesman is still considered a “fugitive” in the Philippines.
“The former President has expressed no desire to see Harry Roque nor to be assisted by him. Harry Roque is a fugitive from justice in the Philippines and the former President thought it best not to have his ICC defence compromised by engaging him,” Kaufman stated.
Duterte is currently facing charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the bloody war on drugs during his administration.
Kaufman also said the former president prefers that Roque return to the Philippines to address his own legal troubles, specifically allegations linking him to the illegal operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) at the raided Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque, however, denied interfering in Duterte’s ICC case.
“I cannot be blamed for devising remedies to bring former President Duterte home alive. No such idea can be characterized as a crazy scheme,” Roque said in a statement.
He further explained, “In fact, the Vice President acknowledged that we have discussed the domestic legal remedy on numerous occasions and I have deferred to VP’s decision to hold the domestic legal remedy in abeyance pending the outcome of the interim release.”