Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Initial appearance of Mr Rodrigo Roa Duterte

Mr Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s initial appearance took place on Friday, 14 March 2025, at 14:00 hours (The Hague local time), before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "Court").

Article (news)

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174287694294320250314-duterte-pre-trial-chamber-ICC.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s initial appearance before the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands on March 14, 2025. Handout/ICC via Flickr"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s initial appearance before the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands on March 14, 2025. <em>Handout/ICC via Flickr</em><em></em><strong><em></em></strong></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte insisted Tuesday before the Supreme Court (SC) that he was “abducted” and that a local law was not enough to authorize his transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/12/kitty-asks-sc-help-to-bring-father-rodrigo-duterte-back-to-ph-1102">Kitty asks Supreme Court help to bring father Rodrigo Duterte back to PH</a></div><p>Duterte&#x27;s daughter Veronica, through her lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo, filed the traverse comment before the SC.</p><p>It was noted that RA No. 9851 or the Philippine International Humanitarian Law was signed into law in 2009 while the Rome Statute was transmitted to the Senate for concurrence in 2011. </p><p>The younger Duterte further argued that when RA No. 9851 was being deliberated in the Senate, the Rome Statute was not yet in force in the Philippines and the ICC had yet to acquire its “complimentary jurisdiction.”</p><p>“Clearly, the respondents weaponized the ICC, and violated FPRRD’s (former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) fundamental rights, for what appears to be political gain,” Duterte said.</p><p>It was also stressed in the comment that when the request of the ICC prosecutor for an investigation on the situation in the Philippines happened on May 24, 2021, the Philippines was no longer a party to the Rome Statute because the withdrawal became effective on March 17, 2019. </p><p>The Department of Justice has previously said that the government followed due process in serving the ICC warrant to Duterte, including the reading of his Miranda rights and explaining why he is being arrested.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/13/-marahan-tahimik-hindi-pinuwersa-doj-says-duterte-arrest-followed-due-process-0902">READ: DOJ says Duterte arrest followed due process</a></div><p>&quot;Ibinigay talaga ang lahat ng palugit kay President Duterte at sa kanyang mga kasamahan. Ginalang namin ang kanyang lahat ng karapatan bilang dating pangulo. Sa dulo, tahimik at tinanggap ang kalagayan na dapat talagang maipatupad ang warrant of arrest at maisakay siya sa eroplano papunta sa The Hague,&quot; Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said in the wake of Duterte&#x27;s arrest.</p><p>&quot;Hindi pinwersa, hindi namin kinalimutan na siya ang dating pangulo, may edad na. Sinigurado namin na tahimik at marahan ang proseso.&quot;</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr also said that the country was merely cooperating with the Interpol when it turned over the former president. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/marcos-says-duterte-arrest-part-of-ph-s-obligation-to-interpol-0000">READ: Marcos says Duterte arrest part of PH’s obligation to Interpol</a></div><p>Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday refused to comment in detail on the response of Veronica Duterte.</p><p>&quot;No comment, no comment muna, kasi ano yan, subjudice, I think we should respect the means and bounds by which we will hear the cases in the Supreme Court so it’s not good to comment on these matters,&quot; he said. </p><p>However, he strongly denied that the former president was &quot;abducted.&quot; &quot;That&#x27;s a semantic phraseology that is very biased, we cannot operate that way because clearly they are already under competent judicial authority with the ICC tribunal hearing the cases,&quot; he said,</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BURUNDI CASE</strong></div><p>Duterte stressed that in the case of Burundi, the request for authorization for investigation happened before the country’s withdrawal took effect. </p><p>Attached to the comment of Duterte was a copy of the decision of the dissenting judges in the ICC, Judge Perrin De Brichambaut and Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze, who said that the Pre-Trial Chamber which issued the arrest warrant “erred in law” by concluding that the ICC still has jurisdiction over Duterte.</p><p>“Since the ICC failed to timely exercise its jurisdiction, it had no legal authority whatsoever to continue its investigation in the Philippine situation, let alone issue the warrant of arrest implemented by the respondents against FPRRD,” Duterte said. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OSG RECUSAL</strong></div><p>Duterte also brought up the recusal of Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra to represent respondent Philippine government officials on the belief that the ICC has no jurisdiction over her father.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/18/solgen-on-resignation-calls-after-stepping-aside-in-duterte-icc-case-i-leave-to-the-president-1318">SolGen on resignation calls after stepping aside in Duterte ICC petitions: ‘I leave it to the President’</a></div><p>“The OSG’s recusal is therefore clear indication that FPRRD’s abduction and transfer to The Hague pursuant to the ICC warrant of arrest is illegal and indefensible,” Duterte said.</p><p>Duterte also emphasized on the “worn-out excuse” of the government that while it is not recognizing the ICC, the arrest warrant was effected by the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol. </p><p>“It shall suffice to cite the Latin maxim” nemo potest face per alium quod no potest facere per dicrectum. No one is allowed to do indirectly what he is prohibited to do directly,” Duterte said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/14/legal-experts-weigh-in-on-possible-clash-between-sc-and-icc-1842">Legal experts weigh in on possible clash between SC and ICC</a></div><p>Justice Secretary Remulla stressed that as far as the Philippine government is concerned, they were able to lay down the legality of their actions in relation to the arrest and transfer of the former President to The Hague.</p><p>&quot;Wala, I think that we were able to give the legal basis for everything that happened on March 11 and I stand by everything we did,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NOT MOOT<br/></strong></div><p>Duterte also insisted that the petition for habeas corpus is not moot even if her father is already under the custody of the ICC.</p><p>She insisted that the Supreme Court can command respondent Philippine government officials to seek the return of her father. </p><p>“Finally, with respect to the supposed territorial limitations of the writ of habeas corpus, it shall suffice to reiterate that while the Honorable Court may not have jurisdiction over the ICC, the respondents certainly fall under its jurisdiction,” Duterte said. </p><p>Supreme Court Spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte have also submitted their traverse comments Monday. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q2Y44kl1RCU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Duterte's daughter Veronica, through her lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo, filed the traverse comment before the SC.</p>

Duterte's daughter Veronica, through her lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo, filed the traverse comment before the SC.

Duterte camp insists to SC: Former President 'abducted'

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Duterte camp insists to SC: Former President 'abducted'

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 25, 2025 12:47 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 25, 2025 02:06 PM PHT

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