The International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested the Philippine government to provide protection to witnesses expected to testify against former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, Netherlands, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla disclosed on Wednesday, June 25.
“There is an official word already that they have gone to our Witness Protection Program to secure the people who may be needed to testify in The Hague,” said during an interview on ANC.
Remulla bared that the DOJ has given its support and cooperation on the request which, he said, is well-founded.
Duterte is currently detained in The Hague and faces charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC in connection with the extrajudicial killings that took place during his illegal drugs war.
Meanwhile, Remulla expressed opposition to the request sought by Duterte’s defense lawyers for the ICC to grant interim release to a country that is a member of the ICC.
Remulla said “the court itself knows it took a lot to be able to bring him before The Hague, before the ICC, and it’s not going to be easy to bring him back in case it loses possession of him or custody of him.”
He also said that Duterte can get the best medical care in the Netherlands and “moving him might even cause a few more adjustments that may not be good for him.”
Although the identity of the prospective host country was redacted, Remulla said he believes it is a country in South America.
He said that based on his knowledge, when ICC relocates people they are sent to South America. (Jeffrey Damicog)
