Statement of Duterte’s Political Party PDP on ICC’s Decision over his Interim Release Plea
Duterte’s political party “Partido Demokratiko Pilipino” or PDP reacted to the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the interim release plea of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
The International Criminal Court recently held a hearing to decide on the appeal of the camp of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte over his interim release plea. Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte skipped the ICC hearing on his interim release appeal. He was represented by his lead counsel, British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.
Duterte signed the waiver over his rights to personally appear at the ICC hearing. Countless Duterte supporters hoped for the granting of the interim release of the former President including Duterte’s political party Partido The appeal came after the ICC junked his interim release plea.
Prior to the initial decision of the court on the former President’s interim release plea, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that a “third country” is allegedly willing to host the interim release plea of the former President. However, last month, it was reported that the ICC denied the plea and his camp filed for an appeal.
However, during the latest ICC hearing, the former court rejected the interim release plea of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. It saddened countless Duterte supporters and many of those who stayed outside the ICC detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands even shed tears.
The International Criminal Court junked all three (3) grounds raised by the Defense team of former Pres. Duterte. The judges ruled a unanimous decision on rejecting the following grounds:
- The Pre-Trial Chamber erroneously found that Duterte poses a risk under Article 58(1)(b) of the Rome Statute
- The Pre-Trial Chamber erred in its rejection of the guarantees proposed by the State willing to receive him
- The Pre-Trial Chamber erred in law by failing to take into account humanitarian considerations in assessing the right to interim release.
Duterte’s political party, the Partido Demokratiko Pederal, claimed that they “hoped for the best but expected the worst”. Based on a post of News5 on social media, the political party accused the ICC of allegedly having “double standards” which supposedly affects its credibility and global confidence.
“It has decided that Duterte will be its whipping boy, aided and abetted by the present weak and compliant Philippine government itself in need of something to divert attention away from massive corruption…” Duterte’s political party stated in its statement based on the post.
During the recent ICC hearing, the only family members of the former President who were in The Hague, Netherlands are his grandson and his wife and children. Davao Cong. Omar Duterte immediately visited former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte inside the ICC detention facility following the court’s interim release ruling.