Gov’t to ensure fair ICC trial for Duterte

International Criminal Court (L) and Former PResident Rodrigo Duterte (ICC and official Facebook page of Rody Duterte)

MANILA, Philippines — Malacanang  on Friday said that despite ex-President Rodrigo Duterte’s turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the government will make sure that he will get a “fair trial” for his charges on crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his administration’s drug war.

At a briefing on Friday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also said the Philippine government is no longer obliged to assist Duterte.

“The government no longer has any hand or responsibility over former President Duterte,” she said in Filipino.

“But based on Republic Act (RA) 9851, as a Filipino — not just because he is a former president — former President Rodrigo Duterte also has the right to a fair trial. The government must ensure that due process is upheld, especially since Duterte is a Filipino citizen,” she added.

RA 9851 — the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity — defines and penalizes serious crimes.

In the same briefing, Castro also said there was no special treatment under the law in response to Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s claims that the Marcos administration broke its promise of not cooperating with the ICC.

Dela Rosa, who was Duterte’s first national police chief, was named co-accused in the complaint at the ICC.

“We cannot have special treatment. Betrayal against a person, if they are being accused, cannot be considered an issue,” she said.

Duterte was arrested last Tuesday, March 11, under an ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity during his administration’s war on drugs.

He is scheduled to make his first appearance before the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands on Friday before Pre-Trial Chamber I.