MALACAÑANG shrugged off on Tuesday, September 18, human rights group Karapatan's claim that Sultan Hamidullah Atar of Marawi City will testify against the Duterte administration before the International People's Tribunal (IPT2018).
Karapatan on Monday, September 17, said Atar's testimony was scheduled to be heard on September 18 to 19 at the IPT2018 in Brussels, Belgium.
The IPT2018 is a "global court" composed of the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, Ibon International, and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines.
Atar is expected to divulge the supposed human rights violations purportedly committed by the Duterte regime to the Meranaws during the Marawi City siege and the promulgation of martial rule in Mindanao.
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said Atar's testimony was not a cause for concern.
The Palace official also stressed that the "sham" proceedings against the current administration were conducted "for propaganda purposes."
"That's not an initial proceeding. That's a propaganda proceedings by the Left," Roque said.
"No, [that's not a cause for concern]. I don't even know who that sultan is... I don't know who he is. And that's a sham proceeding because it's not an official proceeding. It's for propaganda purposes," he added. (SunStar Philippines)