Rise Up says it’s time for Bato and Aguirre to join their boss at The Hague.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) trial of Rodrigo Duterte must start forthwith after the prosecutor has released a list of crimes the former president is charged with, the families of victims of former “war on drugs” said.
Rise Up for Life and for Rights said Friday they also welcome the inclusion of senator and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald de la Rosa as well as former Duterte justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in the list.
“[I]bayong pinagtitibay na kailangang ituloy ang pagpapanagot sa kanilang akusado sa malalalang kaso malawakang pamamaslang,” the group said.
Rise Up also rejected the Duterte camp’s claim the former president was “unfit for trial” due to deteriorating health, saying it is an excuse to further delay justice for the victims.
“It is a sly move as they also ask for Duterte’s interim release,” RiseUp coordinator Deaconess Rubilyn Litao said.
Rise Up’s statement was issued as Duterte’s defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman reportedly informed ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on Friday the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. government is allegedly willing to accept a decision that would allow him temporary liberty.
Kaufman reportedly cited a remark by Marcos’ press officer Claire Castro last Wednesday that the Marcos administration would abide by the court’s decision regarding the request for temporary release.
Dhalia Cuartero, mother of one of the victims, however said they vehemently oppose discussions of Duterte’s temporary liberty as his release would endanger them as complainants.
Cuartero said the Duterte family is still powerful and influential.
Llore Pasco, who lost two sons in a single police operation, also said contradicting statements by Duterte’s children and Kaufman only reveal their dirty tactics to mislead the ICC.
It was Kaufman who officially informed the ICC of the strongman’s so-called deteriorating health while Duterte’s children repeatedly said he is ‘ok.’
“We hope the ICC ignores the Duterte camp’s tactics. We have been waiting for justice for far too long,” Pasco said.
Rise Up said it is high time that dela Rosa and Aguirre II join Duterte at The Hague through ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants against them. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
