Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addresses the troops during the 82nd anniversary celebration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines on Dec.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands () — Judges at the International Criminal Court on Friday rejected a request from former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to be released from detention, finding he was likely to refuse to return for trial and could use his freedom to intimidate witnesses.
Prosecutors at the ICC accuse Duterte of crimes against humanity for the deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he oversaw while in office, first as the mayor of a southern city and later as president.
Duterte’s legal team asked a pre-trial panel of judges to release the octogenarian, arguing he was in frail health and his condition was deteriorating in the court’s detention unit.
A panel of pretrial judges rejected the request, writing in a 23-page decision that, as a former president, Duterte “appears to have the necessary political contacts” to “help him abscond.”.
The decision also points to the possibility that Duterte might use his freedom to interfere with the legal process.
If he is released, judges wrote, there is a chance he would “pose a threat to (potential) witnesses, either directly or indirectly through his supporters.”.
Duterte’s lawyer, Nick Kaufman, told The the decision was “erroneous” and criticized keeping “a debilitated and cognitively impaired 80-year-old” in detention.
Last month, judges postponed a hearing until a full medical assessment could be made.
According to defense filings, Duterte’s “cognitive faculties” have declined to a level that he cannot assist his lawyers.
Rights groups and families of victims hailed Duterte’s arrest in March, and the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, called it “a crucial step in our continuous work to ensure accountability for the victims of the most serious crimes under ICC jurisdiction.”.
Two organizations supporting the families of suspects killed in Duterte’s crackdown hailed the court’s decision as “a resounding victory for justice and accountability.”.
In a joint statement, SENTRO and the CATW- said, “The ICC’s ruling reaffirms a simple but powerful truth: no one, not even a former head of state, is above the law.”.
The political importance lies in whether the issue moves from public comment into formal action, party response, court record, election authority notice or administrative decision.
