Roque downplays opposition of 152 lawyers to his ILC nomination

FILE PHOTO: Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. shares his remarks to President Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque downplayed the opposition of 152 more lawyers on his nomination in the International Law Commission (ILC), saying they are less than one percent of the country’s lawyers.

Citing the lawyers’ opposition, Roque said that they are against his nomination for being the mouthpiece of President Rodrigo Duterte whose bloody drug war is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Well, para po sa kaalaman ng ating mga kababayan, unang-una, mayroon po tayong mahigit na 78,000 na mga abogado sa Pilipinas. Kung 152 po ang kumontra sa aking nominasyon, ito po’y katumbas ng 0.001 percent,” he said during the Palace briefing.

(Well, for the knowledge of our fellow Filipinos, first, we have over 78,000 lawyers in the Philippines. If 152 contradicted my nomination, its equivalent is just 0.001 percent.)

“Maingay lang po sila dahil kabilang sa mga pumirma ay mga kilalang personalidad na talunan sa Otso Diretso at grupo ng kaliwa na walang nasabing maganda naman po sa mula’t mula sa administrasyon ni Presidente Duterte since Day 1,” Roque added.

(It just gained traction because some of the singatories are known personalities from the defeated Otso Diretso and leftist group members who all have nothing good to say to President Duterte’s administration since Day 1.)

Roque also noted that “there is no such thing as guilt by association” after the lawyers cited his acceptance to be Duterte’s spokesman as the reason for their opposition.

He also said that there is no crime proven against the president, pointing out that the ICC is looking into the war on drugs and not Duterte.

However, Roque echoed the chief executive that the ICC could not take action, should they find out that crimes against humanity were committed if local courts have not proved it first.

Roque also said that the country has a right to due process and presumption of innocence which should be applied to the president as well.

With his justifications, he said that the lawyers’ opposition is just political noise.

“Kasama po talaga ito sa ingay sa politika at asahan niyo na lalo pang lalakas ang political noise. Maghahanda na lamang po tayo ng bulak para takpan ang ating mga tainga,” he said.

(It is included in the political noise and expects that it will be amplified. Let’s just prepare cotton to cover our ears.)

Further, Roque said that he trusts that his nomination would be assessed well.

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JPV