Palace: No info on Duterte’s alleged China asylum bid

MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration has no knowledge about former president Rodrigo Duterte’s supposed attempt to seek asylum in China, according to Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro.

At a press briefing yesterday, Castro was asked to comment on a report that the former president applied for asylum but was rejected by Beijing.

“We have not received such information,” she said.

Pressed about what information Malacañang did receive regarding Duterte, Castro said “that he was on his way home from Hong Kong.”

A GMA 7 report cited information from an unimpeachable source that Duterte decided to return to the Philippines on March 11 after China allegedly rejected his plea of asylum.

Duterte pursued stronger ties with Beijing during his presidency.

The former president is now under the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands on charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the deaths tied to his drug war.

According to the GMA 7 report, when Duterte left for Hong Kong on March 7 to attend an event for overseas Filipino workers, the arrest warrant against him was issued by the ICC Pre-trial Chamber 1.

Duterte was arrested upon his arrival in Manila from Hong Kong on March 11, and was flown on the same day to The Hague.

The Philippine government enforced the ICC arrest warrant that was coursed through the Interpol.

Castro also renewed her call to former presidential spokesman Harry Roque to return to the country since he is no longer part of Duterte’s defense team in the ICC.