ICC asked to affirm ruling denying FPRRD's appeal for interim release

Stressing that the ruling denying former president Rodrigo Duterte's bid for interim release was "reasonable and correct", the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has called on the Appeals Chamber to affirm the ruling.

- By BETHEENA UNITE

In a 20-page redacted document dated Oct. 31, the prosecution said that the pretrial chamber did not rely on unsubstantiated "hypothetical and nonspecific risks" to find that Duterte's continued detention is warranted.

"The Decision is reasonable and correct. Mr. Duterte’s three grounds of appeal (the

‘Appeal ) fail to establish any legal or factual error. Rather, the Defence repeatedly expresses its mere disagreement with the Decision, mischaracterises and ignores the Chamber’s reasoning, and misstates and misunderstands the applicable law," the prosecution said.

"The Appeal should therefore be dismissed," it stressed.

On Sept. 26, the Pre-Trial Chamber I rejected the former president's request to grant him interim release and ordered his continued detention.