HomeAsiaDuterte’s ICC arrest justified under obscure Philippine law, legal experts say
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Duterte’s ICC arrest justified under obscure Philippine law, legal experts say

PressNewsAgency
By PressNewsAgency

The dramatic arrest and swift transfer of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has been slammed by his allies as an illegal abduction even though legal experts argue an obscure Philippine law provides cover for Manila to bypass extradition norms.
Duterte was arrested on March 11 by Philippine police and Interpol agents before he was transferred to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity related to his bloody war on drugs during his time in office.

The Philippine government’s decision to carry out the extradition at the ICC’s request has triggered a firestorm of outrage from his allies and supporters.

Salvador Medialdea, Duterte’s lawyer, protested during a pre-trial hearing to Iulia Motoc, the ICC’s presiding judge, that the former president’s transfer to The Hague was an act of “extrajudicial rendition”.

“For less legal minds, it’s pure and simple kidnapping,” he added.

Duterte’s supporters on social media have tried to stoke outrage by highlighting Section 59 of the Rome Statute of the ICC, which outlines the rights of an arrested person. They argue that Duterte was denied his right under the statute to seek interim release from a Philippine judge before his transfer to the ICC.

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