Rody’s lawyer pushing for interim release anew

The defense team of former president Rodrigo Duterte has initiated new efforts to secure his interim release from detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

- By JANVIC MATEO

Defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman last month filed a request asking the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I to direct the panel of medical experts to issue a report on whether Duterte’s “current cognitive state would permit him to flee the ongoing judicial proceedings, to intimidate witnesses, or to commit crimes.”

“In light of previous rulings on matters pertaining to Mr. Duterte’s cognitive state, the Defense is presently unable to substantiate its medical submissions other than through the Panel that the Pre-Trial Chamber has deemed to be independent,” read the eight-page request dated Dec. 19.

“Accordingly, the Defense requests that the Pre-Trial Chamber order the Panel to provide an opinion, on the basis of its collective clinical examination, as to Mr. Duterte’s current ability to actualize the risk factors under Article 58(1)(b),” it added.

Article 58(1)(b) refers to the provision in the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, that prescribes why a person should be detained while proceedings are ongoing.