16 Nobyembre,2024 Sabado
No to Divorce!!!
Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez
No to SOGIE bill
PM for any hospital discharge problem
Happy Birthday Rosita Belmonte-Jose more birthdays to come
Happy Birthday Jo Ephraim Lopez more birthdays to come
Family of the late Jocelyn “Jo” Lising-Abelgas appreciates every moments shared by friends and relatives in their bereavement
Special court in Ph to try Duterte
By Nidz Godino
“I don’t believe in whites… I would rather face Filipino court…even if I will not have lawyer….just me…and judge can sentence me to death or reclusion perpetua…for as long as it is Filipino court, I will abide by it,” former president Rodrigo Duterte would be made to answer for thousands of deaths in his drug war, should be done before “special court” in the country.
Duterte made pronouncement at recent hearing by quad committee of House of Representatives on extrajudicial killings and drug war during his term.
He disliked “white people” apparently referring to prosecutors and judges of International Criminal Court, and would want to be tried for his alleged crimes by “Philippine court as Filipino.” ICC judges and prosecutors belong to diverse nationalities.
“I will not allow foreigner to judge me for things that I have to do during my time as president of this republic,” he stressed.
He asked quad comm to create “special court” that would try him.
“They don’t deserve to be Filipinos residing here…they are better off where they think courts are good for them,” Duterte said, referring to critics and those who filed case against him before ICC.
Duterte would not surrender to foreign courts.
“I will not allow myself to be taken and be placed under jurisdiction of any court… I am Filipino… I will die Filipino…I will be jailed as Filipino…for competent judge, competent prosecutor and I have defense counsel, like one on my side and those at the back, they are all good … I know that I will be acquitted,” Duterte said, pointing to his lawyers, including his former chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo, former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea and his current legal counsel Martin Delgra.
In interview after hearing, Duterte is ready in case country rejoins ICC, investigating his possible culpability for crimes against humanity in his bloody drug war.
“Anytime… I am lawyer, so I know what to do,” Duterte said when asked about possibility of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.restoring country’s membership in ICC.
Duterte earlier challenged ICC to start investigating allegations he ordered summary killing of thousands of drug suspects when he was Davao City mayor and later as president.
“It’s been too long, 10 years in the making…when will it end?” Duterte said, referring to ICC probe.
Panelo said Marcos may face impeachment if he allows members of ICC to investigate alleged crimes of Duterte during his war on drugs.
“I’ve been praising President Marcos for continuing foreign policy ICC has no jurisdiction as he cannot reverse himself, you know why…under the Constitution, his job is to protect the country, people, government and one of those is to protect sovereignty…if he reverses himself and allows ICC to come here and cooperate with ICC, he will be surrendering sovereignty, means he will be betraying public trust, impeachable ground,” Panelo said.
He said there would be no changes even if country rejoins ICC.
“Marcos can be removed from office, whether legally or extra-legally,” he said, as he called ICC “ nonsense, useless entity.”
“Look at the warrant of arrest they issued against Russian President Vladimir Putin, years have passed but nothing happened. … ICC has no jurisdiction whether based on our laws and our Constitution,” Panelo pointed out. He stressed Rome Statute established ICC was not published in the Philippines. “According to our laws, unless law is published, it will not be enforced,” he added.
In an interview on Facebook Live with Panelo, Duterte also accused Malacañang of using former senator Antonio Trillanes IV to discredit him and his family with allegations they were keeping illegally acquired funds in secret bank accounts.
Duterte also vowed to sue Trillanes for libel for alleging that P2.4 billion had been deposited in joint bank account of former chief executive and his daughter, now Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio from 2011 to 2015.
“Trillanes is a Malacañang sponsor…he will not act on his own as he has no money…that’s why I was surprised since I did not do anything… I did not attack the President but I know Trillanes is working for President Marcos,” Duterte told Panelo.
The former senator renewed his challenge to Duterte to sign waiver for opening of his bank accounts during last Wednesday’s hearing on extrajudicial killings and drug war by quad committee of House of Representatives.
Trillanes told quad comm that Duterte’s 2016 campaign contributor, Sammy Uy, deposited P120 million in the bank accounts of Duterte family members.
“I have to file libel cases against him… If that bank account is true, I will ask my daughter to resign as Vice President and my son as mayor of Davao City, if that is true…in my case, I have no position in the government,” Duterte added.
He also said Trillanes should prove his accusations in courts. “Prove that in courts…. even names of my family were wrongly spelled…there was missing ‘n’ in Honeylet and missing ‘u’ for Paolo,” Duterte noted, referring to his partner, Honeylet Avanceña, and son, Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte.
“I just want truth to come out, especially Inday is still in politics, including Pulong, and Baste, especially Inday is in national position,” he added, referring to his children by their nicknames.
“Somebody should teach Trillanes lesson in life, he was used to coup d’etat…he was expert in discrediting people…he gets away with it… about time he should be taught as his enemy is truth…his summary was pure figures…it is bank who would tell if there are accounts or none…. public should know the truth and what is not,” Duterte added.
“If it is true, just one, I will hang myself in front of you…you can summon, I will sign waiver, all banks, including America’s World Bank…even small truth, I will resign and I will ask my daughter to resign and everybody in the family… my guarantee and I will hang myself,even if it is the truth, there is bank secrecy law,” former president also said he would push for his bid for Davao City mayoralty post.
“I am already old… I am retired… I want to take rest… but I will be forced to run again as mayor as when time comes, if they win or lose, we will meet in politics and we will see what lies ahead in the future,” Duterte pointed out. The former president is 79 years old.
He also said he was able to endure more than 12 hours of quad comm hearing, as he is night person.
“I did not expect that at my age, I can still travel… that’s my advantage, I am night person,” he said.
Meanwhile, Panelo claimed Duterte had already signed waiver in 2016. “It was not released since it was joint account, but it only contained P15-P16,000,” he said.
ISKUP! 