Latest Filing of ICC Prosecutor over Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s Interim Release Plea Disclosed
ICC Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang insisted that the continued detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte is necessary amid his interim release bid.
In mid August, the lawyers of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte renewed their request for his interim release from the detention facility of the ICC or the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. Their appeal was filed in June but Duterte’s camp previously asked the court to hold off in deciding over the request as they await some information and documents that will support their plea.
Previously, Vice Pres. Sara cited the age of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte in his interim release plea to the ICC. According to the Vice President, the 80-year-old former Chief Executive can be considered a ‘super senior’ citizen and not all his needs can be provided inside the ICC detention facility. She stressed that she may be taken cared of better if they can hire a nurse or a caregiver for him.
The confirmation of charges hearing over Duterte’s case was initially set on September 23. The former President is faced with an accusation of crimes against humanity over the drug war of his administration. His family members are taking turns in visiting him inside the ICC detention facility since March.
It was only recently that all four (4) children of the former President were able to visit him altogether. It seemed like a Duterte family reunion inside the ICC detention facility. According Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, it was really her father’s request that they visit him altogether.
Recently, the ICC prosecutor team spoke anew on the interim release bid of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. The prosecution is led by Mame Mandiaye Niang. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the panel submitted a filing to the ICC last August 28 and it was published on September 12.
According to the ICC Prosecutor, the continued ICC detention of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is necessary “to ensure his appearance at trial, to ensure that he does not obstruct or endanger the investigation or court proceedings, and to prevent him from continuing with the commission of crimes or related crimes which are within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (the “Court” or “ICC”) and which arise out of the same circumstances”.
Based on the report, the ICC Prosecutor also stated in the filing that the recent events allegedly show the need for the continue detention of the former President. The panel cited the Duterte family’s repeated claim that he was allegedly forcibly taken. Furthermore, they prosecution also cited Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s previous claim about her belief that the ICC and the Philippine government allegedly colluded in the arrest and the transfer of custody of Duterte.
Recently, it was announced that the confirmation of charges hearing of the former President is postponed after Duterte’s lawyer claimed that his client is “not fit to stand trial”. Nicholas Kaufman claimed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is allegedly unable to remember places, events, and even his closest family members.