MANILA – Former President Rodrigo Duterte is being “illegally detained” in The Hague Penitentiary Institution in the Netherlands, according to his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.
Interviewed by the local media over the weekend, Kaufman stated that they are doing all means to bring the former Chief Executive back to the Philippines before or after the May 2025 midterm elections.
“Why not? That’s his country. That was where he was born. Why should he not go back?” Kaufman said. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s being illegally detained here, and he should go back to The Philippines as soon as possible.”
During Duterte’s first hearing before the International Criminal Court, it was manifested by former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea that the former president was “kidnapped” by the authorities before being brought to The Hague to face charges before the tribunal.
Duterte, who attended the first hearing through a video link, is facing charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the killings under his administration’s war on drugs.
Meanwhile, Iglesia Ni Cristo has asserted that Filipinos like former President Duterte should be tried in Philippine courts and that the country must not surrender its sovereignty to foreign entities.
According to INC spokesperson Ka Edwil Zabala, the INC believed that Philippine courts are fully capable of administering justice and imposing appropriate penalties.
“Ang mga hukom natin ay may kakayahan po na gampanan ang kanilang tungkulin na ipataw ang tamang hustisya at pairalin ang katarungan sa lahat ng sandali. Kaya, hindi natin dapat isuko ang soberenya ng ating bansa sa iba,” Zabala said in an interview.
“Sinumang Pilipino o mamamayan ng ating bansa na may ginawang paglabag sa ating mga batas, dito dapat litisin sa ating bansa,” he added.
Zabala emphasized that the Philippine justice system functions effectively, and the INC firmly believes in the integrity of the country’s courts.
“Gumagana naman ang sistema ng ating hustisya. Hindi po natin sinasabing ‘wag litisin ang dating Pangulo sa mga iniaakusa laban sa kanya… Nagtitiwala ang Iglesia Ni Cristo sa integridad at kakayahan ng hudikatura para pagpasyahan ang ganitong bagay at usapin,” Zabala said.
“Hindi po sumasang-ayon ang Iglesia sa anumang hakbangin na hindi naaayon sa mga batas ng ating bansa… Kung ano ang tama, at kung ano ang mga nasa batas natin, ‘yun sana ang dapat pairalin. ‘Wag po itong pilipitin para umayon sa nais ng sinuman,” he added./PN
