PHILIPPINE Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya has confirmed that former President Rodrigo Duterte will not face trial in a local Dutch court, but solely before the International Criminal Court (ICC), where he is currently detained at the ICC Detention Center in The Hague.
According to Ambassador Malaya, under the Rome Statute, it is not required to bring an arrested individual before a local Dutch court, and all hearings will take place at the ICC.
Following Duterte’s surrender and arrest, international law expert Rodel Taton explained that the next step involves confirming Duterte’s identity and the charges against him. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber will then decide whether to proceed with the trial.
Duterte was arrested upon arrival from Hong Kong, carrying an ICC arrest warrant for crimes against humanity related to the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign from November 2011 to March 2019.
While the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, the ICC retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a member.
