Inilarawan ng International Criminal Court (ICC) lead defense counsel Atty. Nicholas Kaufman na “expected” ang naging pasya ng tribunal na panatilihin ang hurisdiksyon nito sa kaso ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte kaugnay ng crimes against humanity.
Ito ay matapos ibasura ng ICC Appeals Chamber ang apat na batayang inihain upang kuwestiyunin ang kapangyarihan ng korte sa kasong crimes against humanity na isinampa laban kay Duterte.
Ayon kay Kaufman, hindi na siya nagulat sa naging desisyon ng tribunal. “I was not really surprised with today’s decision, I was even hinting at it yesterday,” pahayag niya sa labas ng ICC.
Aniya, nauna na rin niyang pinaalalahanan si Duterte na huwag masyadong umasa sa paborableng desisyon. “When I met the former President, I said don’t build up your hopes and he was stoical,” dagdag niya.
Iginiit din ni Kaufman na nahaharap ang ICC sa mga hamon tulad ng “threat of sanctions from the United States,” habang ang Chief Prosecutor na si Karim Khan ay “is currently embattled and embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct.”
“The former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte is the big catch of this court, and it was never really my impression that they would let him go that easily,” aniya.
Sa kabila nito, nananatili umano siyang optimistiko na maaaring ibasura pa rin ang kaso sa Pre-Trial Chamber I. “If there is one thing you know about Atty. Nick Kaufman, I am a very optimistic guy,” dagdag niya.
Inaasahang maglalabas ng desisyon ang ICC bago ang Abril 28 deadline kung ikukumpirma nito ang tatlong counts ng crimes against humanity para sa murder at attempted murder laban kay Duterte.
