VP Duterte: Father well, healthy in ICC custody
Vice President Sara Duterte said that her father appeared to be in good health during her recent visit to The Hague, the Netherlands, where the former president is detained while waiting to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.
“He looks well. He looks healthy. He doesn’t seem to have any problems,” Duterte said in an interview with the Filipino community in the Netherlands, as seen in a video shared by her office.
She added that she advised her father to undergo physical therapy, although he declined. “I suggested that he undergo physiotherapy but he refused. So, we’ll see tomorrow if we can convince him to undergo physiotherapy, in lieu of what should be his daily exercise,” Duterte said.
Request to file appeal
The case against the former president was endorsed for trial after the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber 1 (PTC 1) confirmed its jurisdiction over him on April 22. The following day, it confirmed the charges against him, although his lawyers have filed a request to file an appeal.
In reaction, the Office of the Prosecutor and the Common Legal Representative of Victims separately asked the PTC 1 to toss out the defense’s request, saying the issues raised do not justify immediate intervention as required under article 82(1)(d) of the Rome Statute. Both parties said that granting the request to file an appeal would also lead to unnecessary delay.
The former Davao City mayor and ex-president is accused of being criminally responsible for the brutal killings, particularly of 78 individuals, under his so-called war on drugs.
The former president has not personally appeared in ICC proceedings. Through his counsel, he has waived certain rights related to his attendance in preliminary stages, describing himself in a letter to the PTC I in February as “old, tired and frail.”
Asked for her comment on the ICC’s ruling on its jurisdiction over her father, Duterte said she has “accepted it as it is.”
“This will really go to trial, and the best way to move forward is to prepare for trial,” she added. Duterte, herself is facing impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives, which is expected to soon take up the case in plenary.
Duterte, meanwhile, thanked members of the Filipino community abroad who frequent The Hague, the Netherlands, in support of their family, including those who attended the March 28 gathering in celebration of the former president’s 81st birthday.
“I wouldn’t say I’m happy to be back because of the situation of President Duterte, but I’m happy to see all of you again,” she said. “Almost every day, our prayer is that President Duterte will be able to come home.” —WITH A REPORT FROM KATHLEEN DE VILLA
