Former Executive Secretary lawyer Salvador Medialdea confirmed on Monday that there are still no warrant of arrest and charges as of the moment against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Medialdea did not elaborate the details saying he and the former president have not discussed anything yet.
“Wala pa rin siyang warrant at wala pa ring charges hanggang ngayon. Papano kami makapag-usap?” he told the media waiting outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, Netherlands.
The former executive secretary also confirmed that the former president has appointed British-Israeli barrister Nicholas Kaufman as one of his legal counsels to defend him on charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC.
Medialdea added that currently, Kaufman is the only official legal counsel of Duterte to represent him in the case.
Meanwhile, former presidential spokesperson lawyer Harry Roque clarified that Vice President Sara Duterte will not stand among the former president’s legal counsels as the Constitution prohibits her to practice the profession.
“Hindi magiging abogado ng presidente si VP Sara dahil nasa Saligang Batas natin ay merong pagbabawal sa pagpraktis ng propesyon. Ang kanyang karapatang bumisita ay bilang anak. Uulitin ko hindi siya papasok bilang isang abogado,” Roque said.
Roque and Medialdea will serve as supporting lawyers of the former president.
The former President is scheduled to face the ICC again on September 23, 2025, to confirm charges against him.
