Sara Duterte to talk to dad Rodrigo about calls to replace his lawyers

Vice President Sara Duterte said that she has yet to discuss with her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, inquiries concerning his defense team, which is handling his charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Vice President, who is currently in The Hague, Netherlands, was asked about supposed calls for their family or her father to change his lawyers amid recent developments in his case. 

“Oo nga, sinabi ko pala ‘no na itatanong ko ‘yan kanina. Nakalimutan ko siya. Sorry, I will ask that question tomorrow of former president Duterte. I forgot that question kanina,” Sara said in an interview on January 27.

(Right, I said I would ask him about that earlier, but I forgot. Sorry, I will ask that question to former president Duterte tomorrow. I forgot about that question earlier.) 

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1 earlier said that Rodrigo Duterte was fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings in the crimes against humanity charges that he is facing over the deaths blamed on his war on drugs when he was the country's President.

The ICC chamber thus set Rodrigo Duterte’s confirmation of charges on February 23 as it denied his request for indefinite adjournment.

The former president’s legal counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, said they will seek to appeal the decision.

Kaufman said that their camp is disappointed that they were denied the opportunity to present their own medical evidence regarding the former president.

“The Defence is disappointed that, contrary to accepted practice, it was denied the opportunity to present its own medical evidence and to question, in court, the contradictory findings of professionals selected by the judges. The Defence will seek leave to appeal this decision and argue that Mr. Duterte was denied due process," Rodrigo’s lawyer said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News