Human rights alliance KARAPATAN vehemently opposes all machinations by Rodrigo Duterte to evade accountability for his crimes, including a motion for interim release filed by his lawyer at the International Criminal Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber. The motion, which was not opposed by the prosecution, calls for Duterte’s transfer to an undisclosed country.
This is special treatment for a bloodthirsty murder. Granting the motion would send a dangerous signal that fascists like him are afforded special treatment, while vulnerabilities to reprisal against victims and their families as well as witnesses are increased, as the political infrastructure of the Dutertes remains in place.
Duterte is already in detention, and allowing an interim release is an outrageous subversion of what steps have been taken to seek justice for the tens of thousands of victims of his bloody anti-drug war and brutal war against critics and people. Whatever reason the Duterte camp may have is an excuse to exploit further whatever relief they want to extract from the ICC. Meanwhile, the victims are being extremely disturbed by the fact that Duterte might still go scot-free, and do what he can when he is released from physical detention.
We hope that the ICC realizes the gravity of the situation. We are not simply dealing with a plain killer here. Duterte mobilized a whole state machinery when he was president to kill thousands of people. His playing victim is pure drama since day one. His detention at The Hague is no less than reasonable and justified, for a criminal and murderer like him who enjoys rights to due process and humane treatment – all these were never ever given to the victims of Duterte’s bloodbath.
We appeal and call on the judges of the International Criminal Court to deny Duterte’s motion. Please do not add further to the grave injustice to Duterte’s victims who have long been seeking redress and demanding accountability.
We stand with the victims and families in seeking full justice and accountability for the crimes against humanity perpetrated by Duterte and cohorts through the thousands of extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, and all forms of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.