Senator Robin Padilla, a close ally of the Duterte family, has renewed his criticism of the International Criminal Court after judges rejected former president Rodrigo Duterte’s request for provisional release late last month, framing the setback for the tribunal as a form of retribution beyond human hands.
The senator’s remarks came days after the ICC Appeals Chamber declined Duterte’s appeal for temporary freedom on Nov. 28, a decision that keeps the 80-year-old former leader in detention in The Hague as jurisdictional and procedural issues continue to be litigated in his crimes-against-humanity case linked to the war on drugs.
In a strongly worded public statement issued on Dec. 17, Padilla accused the court of inflicting undue punishment on Duterte and invoked moral accountability in responding to the ruling. “You are crucifying an 80-year-old man, you denied him the house arrest that the Filipinos are demanding.”
Beyond the legal arguments raised by Duterte’s defense team, Padilla claimed that consequences have begun to fall on officials connected to the court. According to the senator, several ICC judges and prosecutors have allegedly faced disruptions to their financial and digital services, including being cut off by banks, credit card firms, and major technology companies, following their continued handling of Duterte’s detention.
The ICC has not issued any public statement confirming such claims, and no independent verification has been released regarding the alleged actions by financial institutions or technology firms.
Padilla has been among the most vocal figures in the Philippine Senate defending Duterte against international proceedings. He has previously filed resolutions and delivered speeches opposing ICC jurisdiction over the Philippines, arguing that the former president should be allowed to return home or, at minimum, be placed under house arrest.
Duterte remains in ICC custody while the Appeals Chamber reviews arguments from both the prosecution and defense on whether the court has authority to proceed with the case, following its order for additional legal submissions from all parties earlier this month.
