Sen. Robin Padilla criticized prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) after they opposed former president Rodrigo Duterte’s request to waive his appearance at the confirmation of charges hearing linked to his administration’s war on drugs.
In an online interview Friday, Padilla said it is the accused’s right to decide whether to appear before the court, particularly given Duterte’s age. He questioned the prosecution’s legal basis for opposing the request, saying the decision should fall within the rights of the accused under human rights and applicable laws.
Padilla also raised concerns about how Duterte might be perceived if he appears in court, suggesting that some people could make light of his age and appearance.
He urged the ICC to allow Duterte’s legal team to represent him instead at the confirmation hearing scheduled to begin on February 23.
In a written request dated Feb. 18, Duterte reiterated that he does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction and claimed he was “kidnapped” when he was arrested in Manila on March 11 last year and transported to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges.
“I am a Filipino citizen forcibly pushed into a jet and renditioned to The Hague in the Netherlands in flagrant contravention of my country’s Constitution and of national sovereignty. My kidnapping was facilitated by the office of the incumbent President of the Philippines with a plane specially chartered for this purpose,” Duterte wrote.
He added that he does not wish to attend proceedings that he might forget and described himself as “old, tired, and frail.” He said he has accepted the possibility of dying in prison and asked the court to respect his peace while in detention.
However, in a six-page filing signed by Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, the prosecution urged ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I to deny Duterte’s request, arguing there is no reasonable basis for him to be excused from appearing at the confirmation hearing. END
