Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. (Photo by JOAN BONDOC / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
The public should no longer give credence to anything that comes from Senator Leila de Lima, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said聽on Sunday, as he downplayed her views as 鈥減athetic attempts to remain relevant.鈥�
鈥淲e should no longer give credence to anything that comes from Senator Leila de Lima as this is from a polluted source, who was accused of drug trafficking by at least 13 witnesses,鈥� Roque said in a statement.
鈥淲e consider her views as rather pathetic attempts to remain relevant and in the headlines, hence, these should not be taken seriously,鈥� he added.
Roque鈥檚 statement, the latest in the word war between the two, came after De Lima鈥檚 statement last Saturday, insisting that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should intervene on the alleged human rights violations related to President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 war on drugs.
The spokesperson pointed out that senator鈥檚 opinion 鈥渞eflects her utter lack of understanding of the principle of complementarity in International Law.鈥�
鈥淭his is no longer surprising since her professional practice was limited to election laws,鈥� he said.
鈥淭o reiterate, it must first be shown that the State is unwilling or unable to prosecute crimes in order for the International Criminal Court to intervene,鈥� he added.
Roque said the lawmaker, who is detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City due to drug-related charges, would be 鈥渂etter off concentrating all her efforts in clearing her name in the non-bailable and heinous criminal cases pending against her before the courts instead of engaging in political grandstanding.鈥�
De Lima鈥檚 camp has yet to respond on Roque鈥檚 tirades, as of posting. /je