Hiniling ng Office of the Prosecutor ng International Criminal Court (ICC) sa Pre-Trial Chamber I na tanggihan ang request ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na hindi makibahagi sa nakatakdang confirmation of charges hearing sa Pebrero 23, 24, 26, at 27.
“There is no reasonable cause for Mr Duterte not to appear in person in court at the confirmation hearing,” saad ng Office of the Prosecutor sa ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I.
Sa anim na pahinang tugon ng prosecution panel sa naturang hiling ni Digong, iginiit nila na “Mr Duterte is available, fit, and should attend the hearing in person.”
“Mr Duterte is not entitled to unilaterally excuse himself from attending the proceedings in-person. It is ultimately for the Chamber to decide “whether there is cause” to hold the confirmation hearing in the absence of the suspect,” saad sa dokumento.
Ipinunto rin nila na sa request ni Digong, nabigo umano itong magbigay ng “any compelling reason” na bibigyang-katwiran ang pagsasagawa ng confirmation of charges hearing nang hindi siya makikibahagi rito.
“Mr Duterte primarily seeks to waive his right to appear on the basis that he does not “recognize the jurisdiction” of the Court, states that he was “kidnapped”, and claims that the charges against him constitute “an outrageous lie” invented by his political opponents. These statements are a continuation of Mr Duterte’s rejection of the legitimacy of the proceedings against him before the Court,” dagdag pa ng prosecution.
Iginiit pa nila na ang usapin hinggil sa kalusugan ni Digong ay tinapos na ng Pre-Trial Chamber I kung saan siya ay “both physically and mentally fit to participate in the confirmation proceedings, and has put measures in place to ensure his comfort throughout the hearing.”
Ulat ni Jilliane Libunao