ICC Confirms Detention of Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague

The ICC confirmed former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is detained in Scheveningen, The Hague. His former executive secretary stated they were unaware of his location. Duterte faces serious accusations of crimes against humanity relating to his administration’s anti-drug campaign, with the potential for him to be the first Asian head of state to trial at the ICC.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Thursday that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is currently being held at a detention center located in Scheveningen, a district in The Hague. Previously, Salvador Medialdea, Duterte’s former executive secretary, stated that neither he nor Duterte’s camp had any knowledge of the former president’s location.

ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah indicated that Duterte was detained after undergoing standard medical checks, a procedure applicable to all suspects in custody. Medialdea, who accompanied Duterte to The Hague, reiterated the claim that the former president’s whereabouts were unknown.

Duterte was transported via a chartered flight to The Hague on Tuesday, following his arrest at Manila International Airport upon returning from Hong Kong. During his presidency from 2016 to 2022, Duterte may become the first Asian former head of state to stand trial at the ICC.

According to a prior statement from the ICC, there were reasonable grounds to believe that Duterte bears individual responsibility as an indirect co-perpetrator for crimes against humanity, particularly murder, allegedly committed in the Philippines between November 2011 and March 2019. Duterte’s controversial “war on drugs” has resulted in numerous deaths of small-time drug offenders, users, and others, often without due process.

In summary, the ICC has confirmed that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is detained in The Hague, amid claims of uncertainty regarding his location from his former executives. His arrest and pending trial reference serious allegations of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s “war on drugs.” If prosecuted, Duterte would be a significant case in international law, representing the first trial of an Asian former head of state at the ICC.

Original Source: www.aa.com.tr