Medialdea to withdraw from Duterte defense team, Kaufman confident of acquittal

From left: Salvador Medialdea, Rodrigo Duterte and Nicholas Kaufman. ARCHIVE

Former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea is set to withdraw as counsel for former President Rodrigo Duterte once his legal defense team is finalized, Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed. “Once na maayos na yung team for ICC , magwi-withdraw si Atty. Medialdea kasi mayroon lang limited na mga slots for lawyers. And we want all the lawyers on board with ICC experience (Once we finalize the team, Atty. Medialdea will withdraw because of the limited slots for lawyers. And we want all the lawyers on board with ICC experience),” Vice President Duterte told reporters on Tuesday (March 18). Sara Duterte also revealed that she is still in discussions with other legal professionals and expects another lawyer to join the team. Meanwhile, British lawyer Nicholas Kaufman will serve as lead counsel for Duterte’s defense in the International Criminal Court (ICC), where the former Philippine president faces charges of alleged crimes against humanity linked to his war on drugs. "I'm very confident of the strongest defense possible and I'm very confident that he will be acquitted, indeed, even at the earliest stage possible,” Kaufman said in an interview on Tuesday. “We will be filing all necessary applications in due course.” When asked if he would challenge the manner of Duterte’s arrest in the Philippines, Kaufman replied, “Yes.” “He was completely denied all his rights in the Philippines. That would obviously be an argument in the course of his defense,” he added.

Duterte in ICC custody

Duterte was arrested in the Philippines last week after returning from Hong Kong, where he attended a campaign rally for the May elections. He was immediately flown to The Hague on a chartered plane, which made a refueling stop in Dubai. Despite speculations about his inclusion in the defense team, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has not yet been confirmed as one of Duterte’s lawyers. “So far, hindi siya kasama sa legal team (So far, he is not part of the legal team),” said Vice President Duterte. Sara Duterte noted that Roque is currently focused on his asylum application in the Netherlands, which he publicly announced in an online press conference. “Gusto namin nakatutok talaga yung lawyers doon sa kaso. Right now, he’s, I heard, applying for asylum. He publicly announced that already. We want him to focus on his asylum, and we want our lawyers to focus on the case (We want our lawyers to focus solely on the case. Right now, he is, as I heard, applying for asylum. He publicly announced that already. We want him to focus on that, while our legal team handles the case),” she said.

Malacañang to Sara Duterte: Return to Philippines

Meanwhile, Malacañang has urged Vice President Duterte to return to the Philippines, emphasizing her duty to serve the Filipino people and provide transparency regarding the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential funds. Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro advised the Vice President to return home and clarify how the OVP utilized these funds. “Tingin ko dapat po isipin po niya na kailangan din po siya ng Pilipinas bilang Bise Presidente. Siya po dapat ay nagtatrabaho hindi lang para sa kaniyang ama although acceptable po at maiintindihan po natin sa ngayon ang kaniyang nararamdaman (I think she should consider that the Philippines also needs her as Vice President. She should be working not only for her father, although that is understandable given the current circumstances),” Castro said. Duterte, however, maintained that her priority in the Netherlands is to assist in finalizing her father’s legal defense. She also noted that Duterte has repeatedly advised her to return home. “I am just here to assist President Duterte in the creation of the legal team. every time I go there to visit him, he tells me to go home to the Philippines,” she said. ICA/Expat Media