Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and former senator Gringo Honasan are planning to file a petition before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring back former president Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippines.
Honasan said on Monday that the petition will be launched through a people’s initiative signature campaign.
“This petition is in accordance with the rules and regulations of the ICC, allowing the people to participate directly in the ongoing proceedings,” Honasan said.
“We aim to gather as many signatures as possible and extend invitations to other organizations to join us in our efforts to bring back Former President Rodrigo Duterte and uphold the sovereignty of our laws, courts, and the dignity of the Filipino nation,” he added.
Honasan, who is running for senator, met with Baste Duterte in Davao City as part of his campaign. He described the arrest of the former president as a “slap in the face” and “betrayal of our nation’s courts and laws.”
“It is embarrassing for other countries and their citizens to know that we ourselves are turning our backs on our compatriot, our former President, and betraying him to the jurisdiction of the ICC, even though our courts are functioning and our laws are being upheld,” he said.
Honasan previously served as secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology under Duterte’s administration.
Earlier this month, former president Duterte was arrested and brought to The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity over his war on drugs.
His children have filed separate petitions for his return. Last week, Duterte’s ICC-listed counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, said the legal team plans to file a petition for Duterte’s interim release.
The camp of drug war victims said they would oppose any attempt for interim release. Meanwhile, international law experts said it is unlikely that Duterte can be returned to the Philippines for trial now that he is in The Hague.
Vice President Sara Duterte also acknowledged that her father might no longer return home.
