ALLIES of former president Rodrigo Duterte in the Senate want the Philippine government to ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) to place the 80-year-old leader under house arrest in the Netherlands.
In a still unnumbered resolution, Senators Christopher Go, Ronald dela Rosa and Robin Padilla sought their colleagues’ support in convincing the Marcos administration to “advocate” for “more humane conditions” for the elderly ex-chief executive while he waits for the September 23, 2025 confirmation hearing on the crimes against humanity case he is facing before the tribunal.
They said that even if the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute, the government “is not precluded from advocating, in good conscience of the State, for more humane conditions for FPPRD, while he bravely faces the allegations against him.”
They said that at 80-years-old, Duterte is already suffering from various illnesses and that his isolation could contribute to further weaken his already frail condition.
Duterte has been detained in the Netherlands for more than four months now since he was arrested and turned over to the custody of the ICC last March 11.
The senators said that while close family members are allowed to regularly visit Duterte, placing him under house arrest in the Hague will be more comfortable for the former leader.
In filing the resolution, the three senators cited an ABS-CBN news report, based on its sources, that the former president will reportedly be given the option for a house arrest in a rented home “where his choice of doctor, nurse, and family members can stay” but “no developments on this option were reported.”
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano has earlier filed a similar resolution urging his colleagues to support moves for Malacañang to engage with the ICC and seek house arrest for Duterte.
“In other words, Malacañang will talk to the ICC hoping to give an interim release to former president Duterte while he’s awaiting trial,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano said that the interim release would be for humanitarian consideration that respects both the rule of law and Duterte’s rights under the Constitution and international human rights norms.
He added that Duterte can be placed under house arrest in the Philippine embassy in the Netherlands, which will be under strict limitations, thus ensuring legal safeguards “while honoring dignity.”
Another resolution filed by Padilla asked senators to back calls for the repatriation of Duterte to “foster reconciliation and national unity, and refocus government efforts to address pressing needs” while at the same time “assert Philippine sovereignty” and “reaffirm the exclusive right of the Philippines to investigate and prosecute its citizens.”
SABUNGEROS LINK
Meanwhile, ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti said the alleged link between Duterte’s drug war and the missing “sabungeros” case, if proven true, will boost the victims’ case against the former president.
Conti said this could serve as an additional evidence against Duterte.
“In a sense this will be additional evidence. It would add to the concept that some policemen (are) involved in a death squad or alternative criminal syndicate,” Conti told ABS-CBN News.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has said that some of the suspects in the missing sabungero case were also involved in the drug war killings, citing a supposed “intersection” in their operations.
“I think that the people who undertake the contractual killings may intersect somehow with the drug war and with the e-sabong. (They are the) same, there are people involved in the drug war killings as well as in e-sabong. That’s as far as we can trace right now, but we will have to establish clearer links to each other,” he said on Monday.
Suspect-turned-whistleblower Julie Patidongan alias Totoy has disclosed the alleged involvement of some policemen in the abduction and killing of more than 100 sabungeros.
Patindongan said their bodies were dumped in Taal Lake, which is now being combed by divers from the Philippine Coast Guard in the hope of retrieving their remains. The underwater search and retrieval operation started last Friday. – With Ashzel Hachero
