World News: Former Philippine President Duterte appears at International Criminal Court hearing by video link
Incarcerated former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared on Friday by videoconference before a judge at International Criminal Court days after being arrested in Manila for murder related to the fatal “war on drugs” he oversaw during his tenure.
Duterte, 79, did not appear in the Hague courthouse, but appeared on a video screen from a detention center that was about a mile (1½ kilometre) in the area.
For the families of drug crackdown victims, Duterte’s appearance in the courtroom was a sign of much-anticipated hope. Supporters of Duterte’s voice call the arrest illegal.
His lawyer, Salvador Medialdea, used the hearing to accuse his arrest in Manila as “pure and simple trickery.” He said Duterte was “denied all access to legal means in the country of his citizenship, all in the nature of political scoresetting.”
Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc set a pretrial hearing date on September 23 to establish whether the prosecutor’s evidence is strong enough to send cases to trial. If the trial moves ahead, it could take years, and if Duterte is found guilty, he will face the maximum life sentence.
According to the number of human rights groups, Duterte’s estimated death toll during his presidency exceeds 6,000 reported by the National Police, varying from up to 30,000.
An ICC judge said Duterte had just left the long flight and was allowed to attend his first videoconference hearing.
In a jacket and tie, Duterte often closed his eyes, hearing his hearing through his headphones. He spoke in English to confirm his name and his date and place of birth. He didn’t have to enter the plea. The hearing, which began about 30 minutes late, lasted about 30 minutes.
Mediadea said Duterte was being observed in the hospital due to health problems.
The judge addressed Duterte, “The court doctors were the opinion that you were completely mentally aware and conforming.”
Duterte’s daughter greets supporters outside the court
Duterte was arrested Tuesday amid a chaotic scene in the Philippine capital after returning from a visit to Hong Kong. He quickly flew to the Netherlands, wearing a chartered jet.
His daughter, Philippine Vice President Sarah Duterte, visited him at the court’s detention center on Friday and met with supporters outside the court. Duterte is the political rival of the current president.
She said her father was “good” and “‘” and “take care.”
She also condemned what is called a political arrest. “There’s a day of calculations for everyone,” she said.
Meanwhile, activists marched in the capital region of the Philippines and demanded justice from the thousands of suspects killed in Duterte’s brutal crackdown. Families of the murdered people have seen ICC minutes on screens set up around the country, and some have portraits of their murdered loved ones.
Why is Duterte accused?
Prosecutors accused Duterte of being involved as an “indirect co-executor” in multiple murders, which amounted to a crime against humanity allegedly overseeing the murders from November 2011 to March 2019.
According to a prosecutor’s request for arrest, Duterte, as mayor of Davao, issued orders to the so-called Davao death team, or to the police and other “hitmen” who formed the DDS.
He said “their mission is to kill off criminals, including drug dealers, and to provide clearance for certain DDS killings,” adding that prosecutors have recruited, paid and rewarded killers, “promised to provide the necessary weapons and resources and protect them from prosecution.”
Documents seeking Duterte’s ICC warrant said prosecutors built the lawsuit using evidence such as witness testimony, speeches by Duterte himself, government documents and video footage.
Reactions of rights groups
Human rights groups and the families of the victims welcomed Duterte’s arrest as a historic victory over the state’s immunity, but supporters of the former president condemned what they called the government’s surrender to the courts they disputed.
“We feel happy and safe,” said Melinda Avion Rafente, 55, the mother of 22-year-old Angelo Rafente, who said she was tortured and killed in 2016.
“The appearance of Duterte before the ICC is a testament to the courage and determination of the victims, their families, Filipino activists and journalists, no matter how long it takes,” said Briony Lau, Associate Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. What’s out of hand today can end up in The Hague. ”
Duterte’s defense
Duterte’s legal team said the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines should not allow the global courts to obtain custody of former leaders as the Philippines is no longer the ICC party.
Mediadea “stricken the unlikely alliance of two problematic entities: a sitting president who wants to neutralize and suffocate the legacy of my clients and his daughter” and a “a problematic legal institution that is subject to illegalization.”
The judge who approved Duterte’s arrest warrant said the court has jurisdiction because the crime alleged in the warrant was committed in 2019 before Duterte retracted the Philippines from the court.
