Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyers are optimistic that his interim release “will be granted at the soonest possible time,” Vice President Sara Duterte said yesterday, days after her father’s defense lawyers filed a motion for his interim release.
The former president’s lawyers did not give a timeline on when they expect the International Criminal Court (ICC) to rule on the interim release request for the former president, the Vice President said in a press conference here.
“Lagi niyang (lawyer) sinasabi, ‘We are hoping that it will be granted the soonest possible time.’ Iyan ‘yung lagi niyang sagot kapag tinatanong siya about interim release,” she said.
The Vice President said that their family was not given some leeway in nominating a third country where their patriarch can be temporarily released.“Walang binigay na choice sa family. Walang tulong sa ICC,” she said.
The motion to grant an interim release for the Philippines’ 16th president was confirmed last week after the ICC published several court documents on its website.
The defense panel cited Duterte’s old age and ailing condition among the reasons why he deserved to be given some degree of liberty outside the ICC’s detention facility.
“Ang sa akin lang naman is makakabuti talaga yan sa kanya dahil
80-years old na siya at hindi lahat ng pangangailangan ng 80-years old ay nabibigay ng ICC Detention Unit,” the Vice President said.
“Mas maigi na siguro na mayroon siyang interim release at meron siyang available na nurses and caregivers na mag-assist sa kanya,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Vice President will be represented by sixteen lawyers as soon as the Senate impeachment court begins its trial over her alleged misuse of confidential funds.
In a press statement citing the document submitted to the Senate impeachment court, Appearance – Ad Cautelam, the defense team of Duterte will be headed by lawyers Philip Sigfrid Fortun, Gregorio Narvasa II, Sheila Sison, Carlo Joaquin Narvasa, Roberto Batungbacal, and Justin Nicol Gular.
It also stated that a written note in the Appearance – Ad Cautelam says a tender copy was given to the House of Representatives but it was not received.