Trillanes: Lawyer’s withdrawal of case vs Duterte won’t affect ICC probe

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Tuesday that Atty. Jude Sabio’s decision to withdraw the complaint he filed against President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) will have “no effect” in the international tribunal’s investigation.

Trillanes said Sabio merely facilitated the drafting and helped in the filing of the complaint with ICC, stressing that the complaint itself was from the testimonies of Davao Death Squad members Edgar Matobato and Arturo Lascañas.

“Walang epekto ang gagawing ‘pag-withdraw’ ni Sabio ng ICC case kasi hindi ganun ang proseso ng ICC. Iba ang proseso ng korte sa Pilipinas,” Trillanes, a staunch critic of Duterte, said in a statement.

(Sabio’s planned withdrawal has no effect in the ICC case because ICC processes do not work that way. Courts in the Philippines work differently.)

Trillanes also noted there are other complaints against Duterte before the ICC, including the complaint he and his fellow Magdalo leader, former lawmaker Gary Alejano, filed in 2017.

In June 2017, Alejano and Trillanes filed the supplemental communication to ICC, which called for a probe into Duterte’s bloody drug war.

The former senator also said Sabio’s withdrawal is proof that Duterte and his allies are startled on the ICC case.

“Ang paggapang kay Sabio ng mga Duterte forces ay isang maliwanag na indication na natutuliro na sila Duterte sa ICC case na malapit ng lumabas,” Trillanes said.

(Duterte forces’ sneaky moves on Sabio is a clear indication that Duterte’s camp is already spooked by the ICC case, which will be released soon.)

Edited by KGA

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