Philippine Ex-President Duterte Appears in ICC Hearing via Video Link
Summary: Jailed former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) via video link on Friday, days after his arrest on murder charges linked to the country’s deadly "war on drugs."
Introduction: The former Philippine president, 79, appeared on a video screen from a detention center in the Philippines, sparking hopes for families of victims who were killed during his presidency.
Key Highlights:
- Duterte’s appearance was a long-awaited sign of hope for victims’ families, who have been demanding justice for years.
- The former president’s lawyer, Salvador Medialdea, called the arrest "a pure and simple kidnapping" and claimed that Duterte was being denied all legal recourse in the country.
- The ICC judge, Iulia Antoanella Motoc, set a pretrial hearing date of September 23 to establish if the prosecution’s evidence is strong enough to warrant a trial.
- If convicted, Duterte faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Duterte’s Defense:
- Medialdea argued that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration should not have allowed the global court to take custody of the former leader, as the Philippines is no longer a party to the ICC.
- He accused the ICC of exercising "jurisdiction over a head of state" and accused the two governments of making an "unlikely alliance to neutralize and eliminate the legacy of my client and his daughter."
Reaction of Rights Groups:
- Human rights groups and victims’ families have hailed Duterte’s arrest as a historic triumph against state impunity, while the former president’s supporters have slammed the government’s surrender of a political rival to a court whose jurisdiction they dispute.
- "We are happy and we feel relieved," said Melinda Abion Lafuente, mother of 22-year-old Angelo Lafuente, who she said was tortured and killed in 2016. "Duterte’s appearance before the ICC is a testament to the courage and determination of the victims, their families, and Filipino activists and journalists to pursue justice no matter how long it takes."
Conclusion: The ICC’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Duterte marks a significant step towards holding the former president accountable for his actions. The case is likely to be a long and complex one, but it could ultimately bring justice to the thousands of people killed during his presidency.
Keywords:
- Rodrigo Duterte
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- "War on drugs"
- Murder charges
- Philippine President
- Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
- Human rights
- Impunity
Hashtags:
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Duterte #ICC #Philippines #WarOnDrugs #HumanRights #JusticeForVictims