Naglabas ng opisyal na pahayag si dating presidential spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque tungkol sa mga nabanggit ni Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, sa written interview na inilabas ng "Alvin and Tourism" sa kanilang Facebook page noong Martes, Hulyo 29.
Nagsalita ang lead counsel ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte hinggil sa umano’y pagkilos nang mag-isa ni Roque tungkol sa kaso ng dating Pangulo.
Ayon kay Kaufman, isang Dutch lawyer ang nagkumpirma hinggil sa umano’y inisyatibo ni Roque na kasuhan daw ang Dutch government dahil sa pagkakakulong ni dating Pangulong Duterte.
“Dutch lawyer has confirmed to me that Harry Roque approached him with an initiative to sue the Dutch Government for facilitating the rendition of the former President,” ani Kaufman.
Middle forces, Marcos bloc kailangang magkaisa para 'di manalo Duterte bloc sa 2028—Antonio Trillanes
Bunsod nito, tinawag ni Kaufman na “crazy scheme” ang naturang umano'y plano ni Roque na makakagulo lang daw sa kaso ng dating Pangulo.
“In my opinion, this was a crazy scheme because the release of the former President would require the cooperation of the Dutch Government,” anang lead counsel.
Dagdag pa niya, “Something unlikely to be forthcoming if they are being sued by the person concerned.”
Saad pa ni Kaufman, patuloy daw ang pangungulit ni Roque sa nasabing Dutch lawyer hinggil sa nasabi niyang plano.
“I was also told that once the Dutch lawyer learned that Harry Roque was a fugitive from justice, he severed all contact with him,” saad ni Kaufman.
Giit pa niya, “But Harry Roque is persistent to the point of obsessive and with this plan, he could very well have jeopardized the Defence’s efforts to release the former President.”
KAUGNAY NA BALITA: ‘Wala sa legal team!’ Atty. Kaufman, sinupalpal panghihimasok ni Roque sa kaso ni FPRRD
OPISYAL NA PAHAYAG NI HARRY ROQUE
Naglabas naman ng opisyal na pahayag si Roque tungkol sa written interview ni Kaufman, upang pabulaanan ang ilang mga nasabi nito patungkol sa kaniya, sa Facebook post niya nitong Miyerkules, Hulyo 30.
Sa kaniyang pahayag, itinanggi ni Roque ang pannghihimasok niya sa kaso, o nagbigay ng mga pahayag na maaaring makaapekto sa legal strategy ng defense team sa kaso. Kagaya rin ng iba pang mga tagasuporta ni FPRRD, hangad din niyang maiuwi sa Pilipinas ang dating pangulo.
Published, as is, "My support to the Duterte Legal Defense continues. There is no truth that I have interfered in the case or I have given statements that might affect the Defense legal strategy in the International Criminal Court (ICC)."
"As a loyal foot soldier of the Dutertes, I have no wish but to bring the former President back to the Philippines alive. And like many Duterte diehard supporters, I feel a sense of frustration on the pre-trial detention of our beloved President. I thus offered an additional legal remedy, outside of the ICC, subject to the approval of the former President and his family."
May kontra pahayag din siya hinggil sa nabanggit na "crazy scheme" ni Kaufman.
Dagdag pa niya, "I cannot be blamed for devising remedies to bring former Presidente Duterte home alive. No such idea can be characterized as a crazy scheme."
"In fact, the Vice President acknowledged that we have discussed the domestic legal remedy in 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," aniya pa.
