Inalmahan ng lead counsel ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na si Atty. Nicholas Kaufman ang kumakalat umanong mga paratang na hindi raw nila binibisita ang dating Pangulo sa kustodiya ng International Criminal Court (ICC) sa The Hague, Netherlands.

Sa panayam na inilathala ng Facebook page na Alvin and Tourism noong Martes, Hulyo 29, 2025, iginiit ni Kaufman na pawang walang basehan at malisyosong kasinungalingan lang daw ang ibinabato laban sa kanilang defense team.

“These are baseless claims circulated by petty minded and self-interested individuals who have a reason to vilify the Defence,” ani Kaufman.

Giit pa ni Kaufman, maituturing daw nilang witness ang vlogger na si Alvin sa kanilang araw-araw na pagpunta upang bisitahin si dating Pangulong Duterte.

Sen. Bato, masayang nakita ang apo

“As you know, Alvin, we visit the former President on a daily basis. You see us coming out of the prison regularly and you are our best witness to the fact that these statements and rumours are malicious lies,” anang lead counsel. 

Sinagot din ni Kaufman ang kaniya raw mga kritiko hinggil sa umano’y mabagal niyang paghawak sa kaso ng dating Pangulo.

“I am not going to apologise for doing my job thoroughly even if it is not at the pace required by others. All that counts is that the former President is fully informed and consents to his team’s activity on his behalf,” aniya.

Matatandaang nananatili sa kustodiya ng ICC si dating Pangulong Duterte na nahaharap sa reklamong crimes against humanity kaugnay ng kaniyang naging madugong kampanya kontra ilegal na droga.

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