DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A broad coalition of human rights organizations has firmly rejected attempts to derail the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecution of former President Rodrigo Duterte, dismissing health-related appeals as a “shield for impunity.”
The Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) and other organizations issued a statement condemning efforts to portray Duterte as a victim, emphasizing that the real humanitarian crisis lies with the families of thousands killed during his drug war.
“Humanitarian claims must not be twisted into a shield for impunity,” the groups stated, adding that the real humanitarian crisis is in the homes of the poor who lost fathers, mothers, and children to state-sanctioned killings.
The controversy erupted after Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, reported that the former president had passed out in his detention cell and was undergoing medical assessment. Vice President Sara Duterte criticized the ICC, calling her father’s detention “cruel” and demanding his release on humanitarian grounds.
However, human rights lawyer Kristina Conti swiftly countered these claims, noting that medical details of detainees are confidential under Dutch law. She cautioned against using public statements to propagate potential misinformation.
The groups reiterated that Duterte’s detention is lawful under international legal standards and does not amount to persecution.
They argued that age and illness do not excuse responsibility, drawing a direct line between the former president’s condition and the intensity of the extrajudicial killings that occurred under his administration.
According to the statement, propaganda portraying Duterte as a victim seeks to confuse the public and undermine global justice, while the ICC’s duty is to the victims, not the perpetrators.
Any humanitarian plea, they warned, must not eclipse the rights of the thousands who were killed without due process.
The groups also warned that releasing Duterte would create a dangerous precedent for prosecuting leaders accused of crimes against humanity. They called on both Filipino and international communities to support the pursuit of justice for victims’ families.
“The ICC should not be pressured by propaganda and political dynasties,” the organizations declared. “Justice demands accountability, not exemption. Freeing Duterte would be forgetting the memories of thousands murdered by violence,” the groups said.
The organizations include the Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC), Karapatan, PAHRA, CenterLaw, Rise?Up?for?Life?and?Rights, and the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines.
The ICC is currently in the pre-trial phase of the case against Former President Duterte, with the prosecution presenting evidence of alleged crimes against humanity during his presidency’s drug war. Since his arrest in March 2025, the court has been systematically reviewing substantial documentation of extrajudicial killings, including witness testimonies and forensic evidence.
Duterte remains in detention at the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, Netherlands, while his legal team continues to challenge the proceedings and seek his interim release.
The case has drawn significant international attention, with human rights organizations globally monitoring the progression of what many consider a landmark prosecution for international criminal justice. (davaotoday.com)
