Bong Go says Rodrigo Duterte now ‘harmless, frail’

International Criminal Court (L) and Former President Rodrigo Duterte. | PHOTOS: ICC and official Facebook page of Rody Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte is now “harmless” and “frail,” according to Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.

Duterte was arrested last March 11 for his alleged crimes against humanity during his administration’s drug war. He was served an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and was flown to the Hague on the same day.

“Hindi rin ninyo isinaalang-alang na matanda na po si Tatay Digong (Duterte). Ang matatanda po frail, fragile at, sa totoo lang, harmless na po si Tatay Digong,” Go said during the Senate committee on foreign relations’ second hearing on Duterte’s arrest.

(You also didn’t take into account that Tatay Digong is old. The elderly are frail, fragile and, to be honest, Tatay Digong is already harmless.)

“For humanitarian consideration, kahit sinong lola at lolo natin, ginagalang at inaalagaan natin. ‘Yun naman po ang ating kultura dito sa ating bansa. Ngayon, sa ibang bansa, mag-isa siya, napaka-istrikto pa doon, sinong mag-aalaga kay Tatay Digong doon? Paano nalang kung may mangyari sa kanya doon?” he added.

(For humanitarian consideration, we respect and care for any of our grandparents. That is our culture here in our country. Now, in another country, he is alone, it is very strict there, who will take care of Digong there? What if something happens to him there?)

Duterte was unable to physically attend his pre-trial hearing before the ICC on March 14 due to health problems.

In a manifestation by former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea — one of Duterte’s legal counsels — he cited Duterte’s “debilitating medical issues, hard of hearing, and poor of sight.”

However, Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc said ICC’s doctors had assessed Duterte’s health upon his arrival at the detention center and they found him to be “fully mentally aware and fit.”

According to Motoc, Duterte’s camp informed the ICC that the former president would not be able to physically attend the hearing and doctors agreed that he was unfit to appear in person.

Go also reiterated the Philippine government’s stand that the ICC has no jurisdiction in the country.

Based on reports, the Duterte administration’s war on drugs left at least 6,000 people dead; however, human rights groups reported that the number may have reached 20,000.