Mariing bumuwelta ang Lead defense counsel ni dating Pangulong Rodridgo Duterte na si Atty. Nicholas Kaufman sa umano’y hindi natupad na pangako ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., na hindi tutulong ang administrasyon sa International Criminal Court (ICC).
Ayon sa naging opening statement ni Kaufman sa isinagawang unang pagdinig ng ICC sa confirmation of charges ni FPRRD nitong Lunes, Pebrero 23, 2026, nagawang pagkumparahin ng nasabing abogado sina FPRRD at PBBM.
Ani Kaufman, alam daw ng taumbayan na may salita si FPRRD habang para sa hangin naman umano ang salita ni PBBM.
“For President [Rodrigo Duterte], his word was his word, and the people knew it,” pagsisimula niya, “For President Bongbong, his word is for the wind, and the people will the forget it.”
Nagawa ring balikan ni Kaufman ang umano’y liham na pinirmahan ni PBBM noon na nagsasabing hindi tutulong ang kasalukuyang administrasyon sa anomang paraan, porma, o hugis sa ICC sa pagdakip nito kay FPRRD.
“Let me remind everyone of the letter which President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., signed in which he gave a cause and undertaking that his government, and I quote ‘will not assist the ICC in any way, shape, or form.’” diin niya.
Giit ni Kaufman, bigo raw si PBBM na panghawakan ang kaniyang pangako at “unconstitutional” na nadakip si FPRRD papuntang The Hague sa Netherlands.
“Well, as we know, he failed to keep that promise. Rodrigo Duterte was unconstitutional and unceremoniously hauled off to The Hague,” saad niya.
Binanggit din ni Kaufman ang umano’y naging pagdepensa ni Department of Secretary noon at kasalukuyang Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla kay PBBM na hindi raw tumulong ang administrasyon sa ICC upang madakip ang dating Pangulo.
“When called upon to defend his master’s actions in the said letter at a Senate Committee hearing, the then Secretary for Justice… Jesus Crispin Remulla persisted with the same dishonest theme,” pagpupuntirya niya.
“And I quote his words ‘we did not assist the ICC, we continue with the very ten of the letter that we did not assist the ICC and we did not have any contact with them,’ so he said,” pagbabahagi pa niya.
Samantala, habang sinusulat ito, wala pa namang inilalabas na tugon, reaksyon, o pahayag ang Palasyo kaugnay rito.
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Mc Vincent Mirabuna/Balita