Duterte tells supporters: Don’t meddle in ICC case

MANILA, Philippines — Detained former president Rodrigo Duterte requested his supporters to temper their emotions and refrain from commenting on the legalities of his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC), his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte said.

“Let us leave the matter to the lawyers and to the court which will decide on the case,” the Vice President told supporters gathered outside the ICC detention facility in The Hague on Friday.

Filipinos who are pro-Duterte, including several senators, have been vocal in criticizing the alleged illegality of Duterte’s arrest and detention.

Recently, a swarm of fake news and deepfakes on social media attempted to assail the credibility of ICC prosecutors and judges.

One of the viral deepfake photos showed the ICC judges posing with First Lady Liza Marcos at a party.

Meanwhile, the Vice President said her father also urged his supporters to guard their votes against possible cheating in the upcoming midterm elections.

On the subject of a possible freeze order on her assets, the younger Duterte said it is highly unlikely, but not impossible.

“I have nothing to do with the ICC case. I don’t expect there will be a freezing of my assets, but if there will be freezing of my assets in relation to the ICC case, then that would show again harassment of my family in the Philippines,” Sara noted.

Malacañang earlier said the Philippine government had no obligation to comply with a possible freeze order from the ICC, following the country’s withdrawal from the ICC’s Rome Statute in 2019.

For its part, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said it has yet to receive a formal request from the ICC regarding the freezing of the former president’s and his immediate family members’ assets.

The AMLC said that once it receives the request, it would be subjected to evaluation and review in coordination with other government agencies. — Christine Boton