The legal team of former President Rodrigo Duterte is exploring all available options, including a potential interim release from detention, as he awaits his September hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to a lawyer from Duterte’s camp, who chose to remain anonymous, the team is carefully reviewing the case and seeking legal remedies to ensure the former president’s rights are protected.
Duterte has been detained at the ICC headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, since his arrest in connection with alleged crimes against humanity related to his administration’s “war on drugs.”
The ICC has scheduled a hearing for September to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial. Duterte’s legal team is expected to argue that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over the case and that the former president is immune from prosecution as a head of state.
The potential interim release would allow Duterte to return to the Philippines while awaiting the outcome of his case. However, it is unclear whether the ICC would grant such a request, given the seriousness of the charges against him.
Duterte’s supporters have maintained that the charges against him are politically motivated and that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. The former president’s detention has sparked widespread debate in the Philippines, with some calling for his release and others arguing that he must face justice for his actions.
