THE communication filed by a lawyer before the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking investigation of the alleged crime against humanity committed by President Duterte as a result of his war on drugs is set to be withdrawn.
Lawyer Jude Josue Sabio admitted that the move was part of the political propaganda of Duterte’s critics, former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Sen. Leila de M. Lima, who is currently detained on drug charges.
“I also fervently request that the legal matter pending with your office, in relation to the war on drugs in the Philippines, should be set aside and thrashed for being just a part of the political propaganda of [former] Sen. Trillanes, Sen. de Lima and their LP [Liberal Party]-led opposition, which I do not wish to be part [of],” Sabio said in his 28-page letter of withdrawal to the ICC.
Sabio said that he is set to send an e-mail to Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, of the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, wherein in his letter he would express his interest to withdraw the 77-page communication, entitled “The Situation of Mass Murder in the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte: The Mass Murderer.”
“I will send by e-mail later my letter [of] withdrawal that I executed today [Tuesday] addressed to Prosecutor Bensouda regarding my intention to withdraw my earlier ICC communication. I am set to submit it personally with the ICC anytime soon,” he added.
Sabio also claimed that he did not receive the financial support in representing Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed assassin whose deposition was part of the ICC case.
“I am left with no choice, but to formally withdraw from your office the communication that I filed way back on April 24, 2017. I fervently request that it be expunged, or erased, from the record, and that it should not be used in any way in the ongoing preliminary examination,” the affidavit read.
Sabio was accompanied by lawyer Larry Gadon when he had his letter of withdrawal notarized in Quezon City.