Former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque decried the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to reject former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid for an interim release.
“I’m a wreck. Kasi ang totoo po, miski nasa likuran ng aking isipan na ganito magiging desisyon, umasa pa rin ako,” Roque expressed in an exclusive interview at DZRH Balansyado on Friday evening, October 10.
Roque said he had his hopes up after the ICC agreed to postpone the scheduled confirmation of charges on September 23. The Duterte camp had requested an indefinite adjournment, citing that the former leader is “not fit to stand trial.”
“Sa katunayan, ako po’y nag-iimpake na. Sabi ko pag lumabas na si Tatay Digong, wala na rin akong dahilan na manatili sa Netherlands. Uuwi na ako, haharapin ko na lahat sa Pilipinas,” Roque said.
“Nag uunpack nanaman po ako uli. Siyempre malungkot din po dahil ako ay umaasa na makakapiling ko na din ang pamilya ko,” he added.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I, in a unanimous decision, junked Duterte’s request for an interim release and decided to continue holding the former leader in its detention facility in The Hague, the Netherlands. The chamber stated Duterte could “elude prosecution” with his history of threatening witnesses, and cited him as a flight risk.
Following the announcement, Roque said the decision goes against Duterte’s human rights.
“Ang tingin ko itong desisyon ay desisyon na labag sa karapatang pantao ni Tatay Digong at siya’y dapat nasa tamang pag-iisip pag haharap sa isang paglilitis. Pangalawa, ito po ay labag sa probisyon ng ating ICC Rome Statute na kinakailangan na..[ang] desisyon ay towards or in the interest of justice,” he explained.
“Sa akin po, walang dahilan para hindi bigyang ng interim release si Tatay Digong dahil siya po ay 80 anyos. Hindi na po siya magiging banta sa kahit na kaninong testigo,” he added.
Despite this, he said that the Duterte camp may still opt to file for a motion for reconsideration.
“Mayroon pa pong remedyo dyan. Mayroon siyang karapatan na mag file ng motion for reconsideration dahil para rin naman po yang desisyo sa Pilipinas. Sa tingin ko, mayroon pa rin appeal, kasi mayroon naman pong appeal and tribunal,” Roque said.
According to him, the interim release plea was filed four months after Duterte’s arrest. Six months later, the Duterte camp announced that at least two countries had expressed their willingness to take the elder Duterte in.
Despite this, Roque said he will not lose hope, stating, “Malungkot na balita po. Pero ako po, isinugal ko na ang buhay ko para sa katarungan para kay Tatay Digong. Sinugal ko na po pati ang relasyon ko sa pamilya ni Tatay Digong. Pero ngayon po, more than ever, hindi po tayo tatahimik.”
