Duterte on his own in ICC proceedings - Palace

Metro Manila, Philippines - Former President Rodrigo Duterte will be on his own in the entire International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings and the government will only make sure that he receives a fair trial, a Malacanang official

"After natin madala po ang dating pangulo sa ICC, wala na po kamay o responsibilidad ang gobyerno kay dating Pangulo Duterte," said Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro in a Palace briefing on Friday, March 14.

[Translation: After we brought the former president to the ICC, the government doesn’t have any involvement or responsibility for former President Duterte]

Duterte will make his initial appearance before the ICC on Friday, March 14, at 2 p.m. local time (9 p.m. in Manila) at The Hague, Netherlands. He has appointed former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as his legal counsel, according to a document released by the court.

Castro said the government is not shouldering ICC-related expenses, including those incurred by self-confessed victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs).

"Kahit nga po sa mga complainants, hindi rin po yan talaga sagot ng gobyerno dahil may kanya-kanya po silang mga abogado. At sabi nga po natin, wala po tayong responsibilidad or wala tayong hand over the ICC proceedings," said Castro.

[Translation: Even for the complainants, the government is not responsible for them because they have their own lawyers. And as we have said, we have no responsibility or involvement in the ICC proceedings.]

Malacañang said the government will only make sure that Duterte receives a fair trial.

"Base po sa RA 9851, bilang Pilipino, hindi lang dahil bilang dating pangulo si dating Pangulo Duterte, kailanganin din po natin ang gobyerno na ma-assure po, masigurado natin na nagkakaroon po ng fair trial. Lalong-lalo po, Pilipino po ang dating Pangulong Duterte," she added.

[Translation: Based on RA 9851, as a Filipino - not just because he is a former president - the government must make sure that a fair trial takes place. Most importantly, former President Duterte is a Filipino.]

Republic Act 9851, or the "Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity," states that the "State shall guarantee persons suspected or accused of having committed grave crimes under international law all rights necessary to ensure that their trial will be fair and prompt in strict accordance with national and international law and standards for fair trial."