Legal Team of Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte Seeks his ICC Interim Release Anew
RODRIGO DUTERTE – The lawyers of the former President renewed the request for his interim release from the detention facility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to an undisclosed country.
In June, Duterte’s lawyer requested for the former President’s interim release to an undisclosed country. The former Chief Executive is detained under the custody of the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands since March when the Philippine authorities assisted the Interpol for his arrest.
Duterte was immediately flown to Dubai en route for The Hague, Netherlands on the same day that he was arrested upon his arrival from Hong Kong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City. The former President is faced with an allegation of crimes against humanity over the drug war of his administration.
The Duterte family members are taking turns in visiting the former President inside the ICC detention facility in The Hague. Several die-hard Duterte supporters also flock outside the ICC detention facility to show their support to the former Chief Executive.
According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, on the ICC interim release of the former President, she stressed that her father can be considered a “super senior” citizen. She stressed that the 80-year-old President may be taken cared of better if they can hire a nurse or a caregiver for him.
However, in July, the legal team of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte asked the ICC to hold off in deciding over the interim release plea of their camp. According to British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, they still await some documents and information that will back their interim release application.
Recently, based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the lawyers of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte has renewed their request to the ICC for the former Chief Executive’s interim release. The request comes a month before the scheduled confirmation of charges hearing of the former Chief Executive on September 23.
The lawyers of Duterte urged the chamber to “order Mr. Duterte’s immediate release… subject to any conditions deemed appropriate.” Based on the report, in a plea dated August 19, the legal team of the former President said that their clients’ presence at the confirmation proceedings may be waived but he may also appear through a videoconferencing if his presence is really needed.
“Monitoring conditions of release and contact restrictions may be ensured through [REDACTED]… “Cooperation agreements on interim release have only been concluded between the ICC and two States Parties,” Duterte’s lawyers stated.
One of the latest members of the Duterte family to visit the former President inside the ICC detention facility is his youngest daughter, Kitty Duterte. She admitted that she’s really worried about her father when she was still in the Philippines and she kept asking her siblings and his lawyers about him.
According to Kitty Duterte, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte now has long white beard, white eyebrows, and blonde hair. He also kept asking about her mother. However, the visitation rights of Honeylet Avanceña was suspended and she even gave a message to Duterte’s ICC lawyer.