Duterte’s Lawyer Asks ICC To Order Medical Experts for Additional Report on Former President’s Medical Condition
ICC – The International Criminal Court rejected the request of the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte for an additional report over his health.
The ICC rejected the appeal of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte for an interim release last November 28. The decision of the high court saddened countless Duterte supporters who are hoping for the release and the return of the former President to the Philippines.
Duterte is detained under the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands since March. The former President is faced with three (3) counts of murder as alleged “crimes against humanity” as filed by the ICC prosecution. The foreign court junked all three (3) grounds raised by the Defense for the interim release of the former President:
- 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.
The Duterte family claimed that they accept the decision of the ICC on the interim release appeal of the former President “with open hearts”. Following the decision of the court, Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, claimed that they will file for an interim release plea again after the former President’s medical reports are out.
Kaufman represented Duterte during the November 28 hearing over the interim release appeal. The former President waived his right to personally appear at the hearing. The British-Israeli Lawyer said they did their best for the temporary release of the former Chief Executive.
Recently, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s lawyer made a move in line with a possible interim release plea to the ICC again. Kaufman made a filing to the ICC asking the foreign court to order the medical experts to release additional reports over the health of the former President.
The ICC rejected the request of Duterte’s camp for an additional report on the health of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. Based on a report of PhilStar, it released a five-page decision wherein the foreign court stressed that the three (3) medical experts were appointed for a “limited purpose”.
“The Panel has fulfilled its mandate with the submission of the Panel’s Reports, which are available to the Defense and, should it wish to do so, can be referred to in its observations regarding the review of Mr. Duterte’s detention,” the ICC decision reads.
“In these circumstances, the Chamber sees no reason to order the Panel to prepare any additional report that exceeds its mandate,” it added.
Based on the report, both the counsel of the victims and the prosecution opposed the request of Duterte’s camp for additional medical report. Previously, it was reported that the former President’s medical report showed that he is fit to stand trial.
Previously, amid his ICC detention, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte expressed his message to the Filipino people over his family.