Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed his former executive secretary, Salvador Medialdea, as his counsel ahead of his initial appearance before the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber.
This development comes as Duterte faces investigation for crimes against humanity related to his administration’s war on drugs.
Medialdea, a longtime ally of Duterte, has previously made claims about the ICC’s jurisdiction, stating that the court did not have jurisdiction over the Philippines after its withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019. However, fact-checking organization VERA Files has disputed these claims, pointing out that the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber did indeed address the issue of jurisdiction in its 2021 ruling.
Duterte’s appointment of Medialdea as his counsel is seen as a strategic move ahead of his ICC hearing. Medialdea’s experience as a lawyer and his familiarity with Duterte’s administration make him a key player in the former president’s defense team.
