Following the case of former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court means wading through all submissions and statements that can intimidate non-lawyers.
Covering the Duterte case also requires seeking information and insights from all sides, online and offline.
One steady source of updates on Duterte is the Meta (formerly Facebook) vlog Alvin and Tourism. It is run by Alvin Dave Sarzate, a Filipino based in Netherlands and a Duterte loyalist. His Facebook page has 1.7 million followers. Several times a week, he posts updates through interviews with family members who visit the former president at the Scheveningen penitentiary.
I found the comments on Alvin’s post about the Feb. 13 statement of Duterte’s British-Israeli lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, particularly revealing. The statement dealt with the release of the names of the former president’s alleged co-perpetrators in the crimes against humanity case linked to Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
Here is Kaufman’s full statement:
“The former President and his Defence team have known the identities of the alleged co-perpetrators for almost a year and, as required by the Court, have guarded them in absolute confidentiality. This puts to lie the utter falsity of the claim that the former President’s interim release would endanger the integrity of the Prosecution’s investigation.
“I had a brief meeting with the Prosecution, last week, and stated that for the parties to make meaningful submissions at confirmation for the benefit of the public, the document containing the charges would have to be less redacted.
“Accordingly, the Prosecution has now revealed the names of what it alleges to be criminal co-perpetrators — something that we will prove to be completely lacking in truth. None of these co-perpetrators are, in my opinion, currently subject to arrest warrants. It flies in the face of prosecutorial logic to seek further warrants in the Philippines situation before the decision of the Appeals Chamber on the former President’s jurisdictional challenge.
“The sensational reporting of this list, however, is clearly politically motivated and designed to decimate the Senate in the hope of perverting the democratic will of the Filipino people.”
In sharing the comments that followed, I’ll use initials instead of their full names.
KT asked: “Hi Alvin! Is it possible for you to paraphrase the statement of Atty. Kaufman so ordinary people, like me, can understand it better? You may show him the simpler/paraphrased form before you post it for us. Thanks in advance! More power to you and to the Defence Team of FPRRD!”
Alvin replied: “KT, I cannot change his statement, as that would be unethical. That is his response, verbatim.”
KT persisted: “I understand! But can you just give a simpler version so people from the province will also be in the loop? You do not change it, just give the gist, if possible. I guess it is not unethical at all.”
Later, someone translated the statement into Filipino.
After reading the Filipino version, JDG was puzzled: “Ayy ganun pala ehh, bakit parang nagbunyi ang iba dito sa Pinas?”
MF chimed in: “Boss, boss marami nang kasama si Digong sa ICC.” He added laughing emojis. 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂
The developments at the ICC are not entirely lost on Duterte loyalists, and many are turning to God.
PP lamented: “Nakakapagod magbasa ng updates. Walang nangyayari. Pray na lang for God’s intervention, tanging pag-asa.”
MJC posted: “Father Almighty, Ikaw lang ang may alam ng lahat-lahat kaya ipinaubaya namin sa inyo ang lahat ng galaw at gawa para kay President Duterte at sa bayan. Ang lahat ng ito may plano ka. In Jesus’ name, our savior, your son. Amen.”
NL echoed the prayer: “Pray, pray God’s miracle answers what Filipinos want — to free (Duterte) from ICC. Prayers too for Atty. Kaufman.”
Amen.
The views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of VERA Files.
