Lawyer of Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte Speaks After ICC Junked Interim Release Plea
RODRIGO DUTERTE – The camp of the former President will seek his interim release from the International Criminal Court (ICC) again.
Former Pres. Duterte is under the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for more than eight (8) months now since he was arrested in March. He is faced with three (3) counts of murder as alleged “crimes against humanity” filed by the foreign court’s prosecutor.
Amid his ICC detention, his camp appealed for his interim release. Vice Pres. Sara Duterte previously claimed that a “third country” is allegedly willing to host the interim release of her father if the foreign court will grant it. The Vice President refused to reveal which nation she’s referring to.
However, the International Criminal Court junked the interim release plea of the former President. The decision with a unanimous decision from all three (3) judges who decided on the plea. The former President was cited as a flight risk.
The lead counsel of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, filed an appeal for the interim release of the former Chief Executive. The International Criminal Court decided on the said appeal yesterday, November 28.
The ICC rejected the interim release appeal of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. The foreign court junked all three (3) grounds cited by the Defense team which are as follows:
- 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.
Countless Duterte supporters shed tears over the decision of the foreign court. Recently, based on a post of News5 on social media, the lawyer of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte confirmed that they will seek his interim release anew after the results of his medical evaluation will be released.
The foreign court previously requested for the 80-year-old former President to undergo a medical examination. It came after Kaufman claimed that the former Chief Executive is allegedly unfit to stand trial.
“The Defence awaits the results of the medical evaluation of the former President due next month and will reintroduce its request to release a man who is 80 years old,” Kaufman said based on the post.
Following the decision of the foreign court, the family of former Pres. Duterte immediately released a statement following the ICC junking his interim release bid.