MANILA – Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber have upheld an earlier ruling denying the request of former president Rodrigo Duterte for interim release.
In its decision, the appellate court affirmed the Jan. 26 ruling of ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I that ordered Duterte to remain detained at the ICC Detention Center in the Netherlands due to the risk that he might flee if released.
ICC spokesperson Oriane Maillet said the appeals judges unanimously supported the earlier ruling.
According to Maillet, the Appeals Chamber rejected all arguments presented by Duterte’s defense team and dismissed the appeal completely.
The defense had claimed that the Pre-Trial Chamber committed errors in law and fact and improperly exercised its discretion when it disregarded a health report submitted by Duterte’s camp. The chamber previously declined to consider the report because it originated from a party involved in the case.
In response, the Appeals Chamber explained that the report did not present any new information regarding Duterte’s health since the two medical practitioners cited by the defense did not perform a new examination.
It further stressed that evaluating risks — including how the former president’s health might influence those risks — is a legal judgment that should be made by the Pre-Trial Chamber and does not require medical experts.
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