Marcos confirms giving go signal for Duterte to face ICC trial

 

President Marcos holds press conference shortly after plane carrying Duterte had taken off

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has confirmed allowing his predecessor, Rodrigo R. Duterte, to be flown to The Hague in the Netherlands after local authorities received a warrant for his arrest from the International Criminal Court.

Marcos held a news conference shortly after Duterte left aboard a private Gulfstream jet late on Tuesday night.

''The plane carrying former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte took off at 11:03 p.m. this evening and exited Philippine air space," Marcos said in a news conference.

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"The plane is en route to The Hague in the Netherlands allowing the former president to face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs,'' he added.

Marcos added Interpol Manila received a copy of the ICC’s warrant hours before Duterte arrived at 9:20am on Tuesday from Hong Kong, where he led a thanksgiving and political rally.

“Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill. If we don’t do that, they will not – they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad,” he said.

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“This is what the international community expects of us as the leader of a democratic country that is part of the community of nations,” he added. 

Duterte and Medialdea aboard the private jet that is taking them to The Hague
(ABS-CBN photo)

Duterte flew out aboard a Gulfstream jet along with his lawyer Salvador Medialdea, an aide and a nurse.

Reports said the plane will stop over in Dubai, United Arab Emirates before continuing the journey to The Hague.

Earlier, Duterte was read the charges he is facing before the ICC, which are crimes against humanity and murder, after he was taken to the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City following his arrest at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He was also read the Miranda rights of the accused.

Duterte responded that he understood the charges, but he should not be arrested as the Philippines was no longer a member of the ICC. He also said the Supreme Court would definitely stop his arrest.

Videos taken by his youngest daughter Victoria also showed him undergoing a medical check-up by government doctors. Despite this, she claimed her father was not being given medical care that he badly needed, and that he was "getting weaker by the minute."

Outside Villamor, a handful of his supporters staged a protest to denounce the arrest. But this was countered by militant groups which staged a separate protest in Quezon City calling for Duterte to be jailed and hauled before the ICC.

At the same time, families of those killed in the killing spree during Duterte’s term held two separate prayer rallies to give thanks for his long-awaited arrest and urge that he be held to account for the killings immediately.

A holding cell at the ICC in The Hague

Duterte’s lawyers filed a last minute petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court to get the arrest reversed, and to stop him being taken to The Hague. But apart from saying that the petition would be raffled off, the SC did not budge.

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