Malacañang has denied any role in the bid of former president Rodrigo Duterte for interim release from the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling his lawyer’s representations “twisting of facts.”
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Saturday said defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman “appears to have mastered the art of twisting some facts” after he told the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I that the Philippine government had “no objection” to Duterte’s temporary release to a third country.
“Again, with emphasis … we want to be clear that the Marcos Jr. administration is not privy and has no hand in the former President Duterte’s ongoing trial before ICC, particularly his request for interim release,” Castro said in a statement sent to reporters.
“However, as part of the legal process, no matter what the ICC decides, we will still respect it,” she added.
Kaufman’s Sept. 26 filing cited Castro’s earlier comments that Vice President Sara Duterte’s foreign travels “have borne fruit,” with another country allegedly agreeing to accept her father if the tribunal grants his release. He argued this showed the government was “now contemplating without objection” Duterte’s interim liberty.
Castro countered that her remark had been misrepresented. She recalled that Kaufman had previously claimed the ICC prosecutor did not object to Duterte’s petition, only for a formal opposition to be filed later.
“It was revealed to be false allegations,” she said.
The ICC has not yet ruled on Duterte’s request for temporary liberty, filed in June. The defense insists the 80-year-old former president is not a flight risk and that detention is unnecessary “to ensure the integrity of the investigations or to preclude the continued commission of crimes.”
Meanwhile, Vice President Duterte has expressed “grave concerns” about her father’s situation in custody, calling on the ICC to consider the “inhumane” conditions he allegedly faces.
“Even the most basic care for the complaint of an ingrown toenail—easily treatable—cannot be done swiftly,” she said, claiming the tribunal “persistently ignored the clear need for a 24-hour bedside caregiver” and describing the situation as “nothing less than an abuse of power against a vulnerable individual.”
The former president has been detained at the ICC facility in The Hague since March 12 after his extradition from the Philippines. He faces charges of crimes against humanity of murder linked to thousands of deaths during his anti-drug campaign as Davao City mayor and as president.
His confirmation of charges hearing, set for Sept. 23, was postponed indefinitely after his lawyers said he was unfit to stand trial. Kaufman has since asked the court to adjourn proceedings, citing Duterte’s alleged difficulty recalling events and even family members.
Despite the heated exchanges, Castro said Malacañang’s position remains consistent: “The government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will accept whatever the decision of the International Criminal Court.”
