VICE President Sara Duterte has expressed alarm over former President Rodrigo Duterte’s (FPRRD) continued detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague amid his “troubling condition.”
In a statement on Saturday, September 27, the Vice President said they received credible information that FPRRD was found unconscious on the floor of his room, a matter that was not conveyed to them.
“The family was not informed of the accident and no explanation was given. These alarming developments raise grave concerns about the capacity of the ICC to guarantee the security and safety of FPRRD,” Duterte said.
“Even the most basic care for the complaint of an ingrown toenail — easily treatable — cannot be done swiftly. The ICC has persistently ignored the clear need for a 24-hour bedside caregiver,” she added.
The Vice President said the continued detention of FPRRD under such “troubling conditions” is not only unjust but inhumane, which amounts to punishment even without having been convicted of any crime.
“If the ICC is to remain true to its mandate as a court of justice, it cannot turn a blind eye to the health and wellness condition of FPRRD. To deprive an elderly man — abducted, denied his rights under Philippine law, and subjected to surveillance disguised as ‘welfare checks’ — of basic dignity and proper care is not justice. This is cruelty,” she said.
She said there is no longer a reason for FPRRD’s continued detention in the ICC “except to make him suffer,” noting that he is not a flight risk and that he has never threatened witnesses or complainants in relation to his case of crime against humanity in the ICC, which stemmed from his drugs war.
“The ICC should act now to rectify this gross injustice and ensure that former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is afforded the proper care and, ultimately, the humanitarian considerations he rightfully deserves,” she added.
In a separate statement, FPRRD’s legal counsel Nicholas Kaufman said the incidents in which his client fell on the floor was neither reported to the family nor to him in real time.
He said FPRRD, following these incidents, lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital where he was assessed for cranial and brain injuries.
In response, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah declined to comment on the matter, which is related to a private situation of a detained person.
“In a general way, the ICC acts in accordance with the ICC Rome Statute and relevant applicable rules and follows the international standard of detained persons having access to consular representatives. Such visits, if any, are strictly conducted with the approval or at the request of the person in detention,” he said.
“The court also takes all necessary measures for the preservation of physical and psychological well-being of all detainees,” he added.
Earlier, Duterte slammed the “sham welfare check” conducted by Philippine government officials to FPRRD in the facility without the family being informed about it. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)