Ex-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to remain in detention in the Netherlands, as judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC) have denied his appeal for provisional release. The decision comes amid ongoing charges against him for crimes against humanity, specifically linked to his controversial “war on drugs” during his administration.
On Friday, the ICC announced that an appeals chamber rejected Duterte’s request to be released from detention, stating that his legal team did not identify any errors in a previous ruling that deemed his continued detention necessary. The allegations against Duterte span from November 1, 2011, during his time as mayor of Davao, to March 16, 2019, which marks the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC.
Throughout his presidency from 2016 to 2022, Duterte has faced significant criticism for his aggressive anti-drug campaign that has been linked to thousands of extrajudicial killings, primarily involving impoverished drug suspects. Amnesty International has reported that his vocal support for violent measures against drug suspects has contributed to this alarming trend.
While Duterte’s legal representatives have raised concerns about his deteriorating health in custody, the ICC determined that there was insufficient justification for his release. The court has postponed a pretrial hearing to allow for a thorough medical evaluation of Duterte, with the results expected next month. His lawyers have indicated they plan to revisit the request for his release following this assessment.
Currently held at an ICC facility in the Netherlands since his arrest in March, Duterte was not present in court to hear the ruling. His ongoing detention reflects the seriousness of the charges he faces and the international community’s scrutiny of his administration’s human rights record. The future of Duterte’s legal battles remains uncertain, but the court’s decision underscores a commitment to accountability for alleged human rights violations.