GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Sara Duterte, Harry Roque, Robin Padilla arrive at ICC
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Vice President Sara Duterte has arrived at the International Criminal Court in this city hours ahead of her father former President Rodrigo Duterte's scheduled appearance before the tribunal in connection with charges of crimes of against humanity related to the killings in his war on drugs.
With the Vice President are former presidential spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque, a listed ICC counsel; and Senator Robinhood Padilla.
They were seen at the ICC visitors' entrance hours before the first appearance of the former president before the court.
In her brief message to reporters here, the Vice President asked for space to be able to do their work and announced that she would grant a media interview later.
Dutch police arrived at the scene to confirm if a demonstration would be held in front of the ICC. Roque responded that such an activity would happen.
This is the first time that Roque appeared in public since he flew out of the country after being implicated in the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators in the Philippines, particularly his alleged involvement in Lucky South 99, the raided POGO firm in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque was also cited in contempt and ordered detained by the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) on Sept. 13 after he refused to submit documents that would supposedly explain his increased wealth.
Seek to postpone
He said the Duterte camp woud seek to postpone the ICC's hearing into the former president's alleged crimes against humanity.
According to Roque, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea remains the only lawyer that the ICC has recognized for this case. However, Roque said they have requested to include himself and a British retained lawyer in the roster.
"So ipagpaliban niyo na ngayon kasi di pa namin nakikita ang dating presidente. Buong araw kahapon, hindi siya nakita dahil umano binigyan siya ng medical examination (So the ICC should postpone the proceedings because we have yet to see the former president. The whole day yesterday, we were unable to see him because he was supposedly given a medical examination), Roque said.
He said not only lawyers, but the family members should have access to the elder Duterte.
"I don't know if I can be registered in time for the hearing today, but in addition to the postponement, if I am recognized today, and I'm not sure yet because we just did all the papers today, I will also bring the issue of the illegality of the arrest, of the arrest of the former president, that should lead to the court losing its jurisdiction," Roque added.
The Vice President, Roque, and Padilla later proceeded to the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison, where the former president is currently detained.
GMA News Online has also sought details of Padilla’s flight to Netherlands from his office, but it has yet to respond as of posting time.
According to an AFP report, the 79-year-old former chief executive will appear before judges for a hearing where he will be informed of the crimes he is alleged to have committed, as well as his rights as a defendant.
Rodrigo Duterte is facing charges of alleged crimes against humanity before the ICC due to his controversial war on drugs.
According to the arrest warrant, the ICC pre-trial chamber found reasonable grounds to believe he was "individually responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder" in connection with the killings blamed on his war on drugs.
It stated that the Duterte Death Squad (DDS) and Philippine law enforcement personnel under his leadership targeted persons allegedly involved in drug-related criminal activities.
Government records show that there were at least 6,200 drug suspects killed in police operations from June 2016 to November 2021, but several human rights groups have refuted this and say that the number may have reached as much as 30,000 due to unreported related killings. — with a report from Hana Bordey/ VDV/ NB, GMA Integrated News
