The Supreme Court has not yet issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s petition to halt the government’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in his ongoing case.
Duterte’s legal team, led by Atty. Israelito Torreon, filed the petition questioning the national government’s role in assisting the ICC’s probe into alleged crimes against humanity tied to Duterte’s war on drugs. The Supreme Court has since conducted a special raffle to assign the case to a justice for review.
As of now, Duterte remains onboard a plane at Villamor Air Base, set to depart for The Hague, Netherlands, with only former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea accompanying him. Torreon raised concerns over what he called rushed legal actions to extradite Duterte, claiming that due process under the Rome Statute was not properly followed.
The legal team has submitted an urgent motion requesting that the TRO be served via email to expedite proceedings. Torreon stated that they expect a response from the Supreme Court within the next one to two days.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s allies, including Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Robin Padilla, continue to oppose his transfer, arguing that he should be tried in the Philippines, not the ICC.
