He also admitted that his turnaround was motivated partly by the “pittance” he allegedly received as payment from opposition figures for his services. “Even assuming that Sabio’s withdrawal (of the complaint) will be accepted, there were others who had filed a case against Duterte in the ICC,” he said. He said he and former Magdalo party list Rep. Gary Alejano filed the second communication in the ICC against the President in June 2017. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute in 2018 after Bensouda opened a “preliminary examination” of the allegations in Sabio’s communication. Solicitor General Jose Calida, one of the 11 other officials Sabio wanted the ICC to investigate, threatened to bring a case to disbar the lawyer.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 14, 2020 20:59 UTC