VP Sara: Duterte’s defense team won’t include Roque, Medialdea

THE HAGUE – Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque will not be part of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team before the International Criminal Court (ICC), Vice President Sara Duterte said.

“So far hindi siya [Atty. Roque] kasama sa legal team (He won't be part of the legal team),” Sara said in a brief media interview following her visit to her father on Tuesday afternoon.

Sara said they want to avoid complications since Roque’s basis for staying in the Netherlands is not clearly established.

Roque announced at an online press conference yesterday that he is formally filing for asylum here in the Netherlands.

“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,” VP Sara said.

Asked for his reaction, Roque said, "No comment."

Meanwhile, Sara said former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea is set to withdraw from the counsel once the team is finalized.

“Once na maayos na yung team for [the] ICC [case], magwi-withdraw si Atty. Medialdea kasi mayroon lang limited na mga slots for lawyers (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.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Medialdea was seen leaving the Hague Penitentiary Institution on board an ambulance with the assistance of a medical team.

“After having received treatment at the hospital emergency room, Atty. Medialdea was brought to and is now in a regular hospital room,” the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands confirmed in a Facebook post.

With the defense team still taking shape, Sara said British-Israeli lawyer Atty. Nicholas Kaufman will lead the legal counsel, and more lawyers with ICC expertise are expected to join.

In a short interview an hour before Sara’s visit, Kaufman told GMA Integrated News he is confident about giving the “strongest defense” for the former president in his case.

“Mayroon pa akong mga kakausaping mga lawyers. Mayroon pang darating na isang abogado. Mai-interview ko siya para sumali sa team (I will talk to some more lawyers. I will interview them to join the team),” she added.

Sara also said that the former president repeatedly told her to return to the Philippines.

“I am just here to assist President Duterte in the creation of the legal team. Kasi every time I go there to visit him, he tells me to go home to the Philippines,” Sara said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News