79-year-old former president, Rodrigo Duterte, did not appear at the pre-trial.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte did not appear before the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday.
To recall, the 79-year-old former president was arrested on the morning of Tuesday, March 11, and later on at night, she boarded a plane going to The Hague. On Friday, March 14, he is set to make his first appearance before the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He was arrested through a warrant issued to Interpol by the ICC for the allegations related to EJK during his time of presidency.
Duterte failed to appear personally, opting for remote attendance. The hearing proceeded, led by the same three female judges that issued the arrest warrant against him.
The three female judges are Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera.
The judges are:
- Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc – She has been a judge at the European Court Of Human Rights from 2013 to 2023.
- Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou – She has been a judge at the Permanent Court Of Arbitration.
- Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera – Permanent representative at the UN and other international organizations based in Geneva from 2017 to 2021.
In a previous article, Duterte’s daughter, VP Sara Duterte arrived at The Hague, along with Senator Robin Padilla and former presidential spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque ahead of the hearing.
Regarding the arrest of Duterte, experts say it was “by the book”. Duterte is at the ICC detention center in Scheveningen, and as he landed in The Hague, he expressed that he has accepted responsibility for his actions. He has accordingly been telling the military that it was his job and he is responsible.
What can you say about this? Let us know in the comments!