Duterte grandson, supporters slam ICC’s ‘inhumane’ denial of release

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The grandson and supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte cried inhumane treatment over the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) denial of interim release for Duterte — who will remain in jail over alleged crimes against humanity.

The ICC appeals chamber on Friday, November 28, unanimously rejected three grounds presented by the defense on why Duterte supposedly deserved temporary freedom from detention in The Hague. 

“It’s borderline inhumane — keeping an 80-year-old here away from his family, away from the land he called home,” said Davao City 2nd District Representative Omar Duterte, the former president’s grandson, in a chance interview outside the ICC on Friday.

Omar said that he did not expect the ICC’s decision, hopeful that they would “appeal to their humanitarian side.”

“I was a bit bewildered why the appeals chamber saw that he’s a flight risk, he’s a risk to the people in the Philippines, when half the time inside he doesn’t even know why he’s there. Half the time, he doesn’t know that he’s in the Netherlands,” said Omar.

He added that the family was making plans to visit him for the approaching Christmas season.

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The hearing took place the morning before Omar and his children were set to visit Duterte in his detention center at Scheveningen.

The appeals chamber upheld the pre-trial chamber’s decision, saying that the defense failed to prove the errors of the earlier denial. 

The ICC stood in its view that Duterte still wielded influence that may affect the investigation due to a “network of support” that he could still benefit from. The appeals chamber said that while humanitarian grounds were considered, they were insufficient in warranting interim release.

Emotional supporters

Both supporters and critics of the former president lined up to watch the hearing in person on Friday, as some ICC proceedings are open to public viewings. Though Duterte waived his right to be physically present at the hearing, supporters still grew emotional following the reading out of the decision.

“I had said that there should be no reason for his interim release to not be granted, because international human rights are [observed] here in Holland. So if they deny it, where are the human rights? Especially PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) is old now, going to 81 years old,” said Janet Suliman, who has been in the Netherlands for 25 years.

Another Duterte supporter, a vlogger who goes by “Lucky Charm,” said that while she respects European governments, she could not “accept directly” the decision by the ICC.

Suliman, who runs a catering business, volunteered to prepare food for their community outside the ICC detention center following the hearing.

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Due process

The Duterte Panagutin Europe Network welcomed the ICC’s reaffirmation of its earlier decision.

“We are glad that they stayed with this decision because we don’t think that it is fair to the victims…. if he was given an opportunity to be let out,” Icai Enriquez, a convenor for the network, told Rappler.

The group said it was “doubtful” in the beginning, particularly over arguments related to the former president’s health that convinced the court to delay his confirmation of charges hearing originally set for September.

Enriquez pointed to how Duterte was still able to make the decision to allow lawyer Nicholas Kaufman to represent him in court.

“He’s afforded due process, something that all his victims, all the victims of the war on drugs and the war on the poor, was not afforded. So it is not fair for him, for people to use humanitarian reasons who are now afforded access to the legal procedures and recourse to claim the same,” she said.

Enriquez added that the culture of impunity that persisted during Duterte’s peak in power would have returned if he was temporarily released.

The network plans to continue information drives about the case and grow its numbers in Europe. – Rappler.com