Palace to Duterte lCC team: Don’t use Marcos in your ‘propaganda’

Malacañang on Tuesday advised the legal camp of arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte not to lie in their pleadings and not to use President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s name in their “propaganda.” FILE Photo. Screengrab from RTVM/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday advised the legal camp of arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte not to lie in their pleadings and not to use President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s name in their “propaganda.”

At a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro was asked for a reaction to international law expert Arnedo Valera’s opinion that the Duterte camp’s request to transfer him to a third country is supported by established international rules.

READ: Rodrigo Duterte appeals for an interim release from ICC detention

Castro responded by saying that the Marcos administration will not intervene in any way in the Duterte camp’s strategy regarding the former leader’s case at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“At sabi nga natin, kung anuman ang magiging istratehiya nila Atty. [Nicolas] Kaufman, gawin po nila iyan at wala pong magiging pakialam ang Pangulo, ang Palasyo, ang gobyerno patungkol po diyan,” she said.

(And as we’ve said, whatever strategy Atty. Kaufman and his team decide to take, they are free to do so, and the President, the Palace, and the government will not interfere with that.)

“Ang abiso lamang po natin, sana huwag magsinungaling sa kanilang pleadings, huwag gamitin ang Pangulo sa propaganda nila at huwag mamulitika using the President’s name—iyon lang po,” Castro also said.

(Our only advice is that they should not lie in their pleadings, not use the President for their propaganda, and not engage in politicking using the President’s name—that’s all.)

On June 13, Castro also said Malacañang would respect whatever decision the ICC makes regarding the appeal for interim release filed by the Duterte camp.

READ: Palace on Duterte’s plea for temporary release: We’ll follow ICC’s ruling

The ex-president is currently being held in custody at the ICC detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands, pending his trial for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his administration’s drug war.

He was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on March 11 and was flown out of the country on the same day.

Duterte had his pre-trial hearing on March 14, while his confirmation of charges was scheduled for September 23./coa