THE legal team of former President Rodrigo Duterte is exploring the possibility of securing his temporary release in the Netherlands, the host country of the International Criminal Court (ICC), where he has been detained since March on charges of crimes against humanity and murder.
In a five-page filing dated September 10, Duterte’s lead counsel Nicholas Kaufman urged the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I (PTC I) to seek the Netherlands’ position on “the possibility of accommodating Mr. Duterte on its territory for the partial or, potentially, the full term of his interim release.”
The defense stressed that Duterte would not seek asylum and that his camp would shoulder any costs incurred by the host state in enforcing ICC-imposed conditions.
Kaufman added that the defense is also pursuing the option of release to another undisclosed country.
The former president first sought interim release on June 12, claiming that a third country had already agreed to enforce possible conditions.
However, ICC prosecutors objected, warning that Duterte should remain in custody.
Since then, Duterte’s camp has repeatedly requested his interim release and even moved for an indefinite adjournment of proceedings, citing his “deteriorating cognitive condition.”
Prosecutors opposed both moves, as the pre-trial chamber postponed the confirmation of charges initially set for September 23.
Duterte has been held in The Hague since March after being extradited aboard a government-chartered plane.
He faces charges linked to the thousands of killings during his administration’s war on drugs campaign.