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Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has petitioned the International Criminal Court to let his interim merchandise to different country, his lawyer said successful a filing, citing his precocious property and a vow not to fly oregon perpetrate immoderate crimes.
Mr. Duterte was arrested and taken to The Hague successful March connected execution charges linked to his “war connected drugs”, wherever thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed. He has maintained his apprehension was unlawful and tantamount to kidnapping.
Mr. Duterte’s counsel Nicholas Kaufman told the ICC’s pre-trial enclosure a 3rd state had expressed its “advance and principled statement to person Mr. Duterte onto its territory”, according to the petition released connected Thursday (June 12, 2025). The sanction of the state was redacted successful the substance released to the public.
Mr. Duterte is not a formation hazard and volition not perpetrate crimes if released, his counsel said.
“Mr. Duterte is nary longer the President of the Philippines and does not bid the aforesaid power oregon powerfulness helium is said to person abused during the play of the alleged crimes,” the petition stated.
Mr. Duterte was swept to powerfulness successful 2016 connected a signature run to tackle transgression and eradicate amerciable drugs successful the Philippines. During his six years successful office, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations, according to authorities data, but rights groups accidental the existent toll was acold greater.
Mr. Duterte cited humanitarian reasons successful his request, saying that helium is already 80 years old.
It besides said the prosecution would not reason Mr. Duterte’s interim merchandise arsenic agelong arsenic definite undisclosed presumption are met.
The bureau of the authoritative successful an email said it would record earlier the ICC pre-trial enclosure a effect to Mr. Duterte’s request, a nationalist mentation of which volition beryllium disposable “which volition intelligibly acceptable retired its position”.
ICC adjunct to counsel Kristina Conti, who represents cause warfare victims, told broadcaster DZMM that her clients person opposed Mr. Duterte’s interim merchandise from the start. Despite his detention, helium was elected politician by a immense borderline successful his location metropolis of Davao during May’s midterm elections.
Published - June 13, 2025 05:13 p.m. IST
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