Prosecution to ICC: Duterte’s continued detention necessary

The prosecution of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has asked its pretrial chamber to reject former president Rodrigo Duterte’s renewed request for interim release, citing the need for his continued detention and his family’s attempts to delegitimize the ICC proceedings.

- By RAYMUND ANTONIO

In an eight-page document filed on Aug. 28 but only uploaded to the ICC website on Sept. 12, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang maintained that it remains “necessary” for the ICC to continue holding the former chief executive in detention.

“The continued detention of Mr. Duterte remains necessary as the conditions set out in Articles 58(1) (a) and 58(1)(b)(i)-(iii) of the Statute continue to be met,” the document read.

His detention, Niang said, is “to ensure his appearance at trial, to ensure that he does not obstruct or endanger the investigation or court proceedings, and to prevent him from continuing with the commission of crimes or related crimes which are within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (the “Court” or “ICC”) and which arise out of the same circumstances.”