House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila M. de Lima welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to reject former President Rodrigo Duterte’s request for interim release, calling it a reflection of the strength of the evidence against him.
“That was quick. We welcome the rejection of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber of Rodrigo Duterte’s request for interim release,” De Lima said in her October 10 statement.
De Lima, a longtime critic of Duterte and one of the earliest voices to condemn his administration’s bloody anti-drug campaign, said the ICC’s decision was not unexpected. “The swift denial of Duterte’s plea for interim release is not a surprise. The plea lacks support both in fact and in the Rome Statute,” she said.
According to her, the ICC’s move reinforces the weight of the evidence that justified Duterte’s detention. “The ICC does not easily issue warrants of arrest without any inkling of the weight of the evidence. In the case of Duterte, the evidence is strong enough for the ICC to require his detention during trial. This denial is an indication of the strength of the evidence against Duterte,” De Lima emphasized.
She lauded the ICC for being impartial, saying it “will spare no sacred cows” and “will not show favor to anyone.” De Lima stressed that the international court’s independence underscores its credibility in pursuing justice for victims of human rights abuses.
“We also saw how influential Duterte still is in the country. That’s why as we continue to call for justice and accountability, we should also protect the witnesses and encourage other victims of the murderous ‘War on Drugs’ to speak out and join our fight,” she said.
In closing, De Lima urged Filipinos to remain steadfast in pursuing justice for the victims of Duterte’s drug war. “Patuloy nating palakasin ang ating laban para mapanagot ang pasimuno at ang lahat ng kasabwat sa krimen laban sa sangkatauhan—ang walang habas na pagpatay sa libo-libong Pilipino, kasama na ang mga inosenteng bata,” she declared.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I, composed of judges Iulia Motoc, Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and María del Socorro Flores Liera, earlier denied Duterte’s interim release request, citing concerns over flight risk, witness intimidation, and the gravity of the charges against him.
