By Carlito Pablo
The Philippine government has placed under its protection witnesses in the trial of former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
This was confirmed by Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla in media reports from Manila.
“There is an official word already that they have gone to our Witness Protection Program to secure the people who may be needed to testify in The Hague,” Remulla said.
Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the bloody drug war he waged during his time as president and as mayor of the Philippine southern city of Davao.
The former president was arrested by Philippine police on March 11, 2025, and he was flown shortly to The Hague, where he is currently detained.
Remulla was asked if the ICC had sought the Philippine government’s assistance in securing the witnesses.
“And so we have given our support and cooperation as this request is a well-founded request based on the necessity to bring the witnesses safely to The Hague to testify,” Remulla said.
The justice secretary also indicated that three or four prosecution witnesses are now under the Philippine government’s protection.
“As far as I know, we’re helping three or four. But I think there will be more,” Remulla said.
Remulla explained that while the Philippine government will take care of the safety and security needs of the witnesses in the country, it’s the ICC that will transport them to The Hague and give them protection.
Remulla said that in giving protection to the witnesses, the government is simply following its own law, specifically Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity.
Duterte has been held in prison in the Netherlands since March 12, 2025. He marked his 80th birthday in detention on March 28.
After three months of detention, Duterte, through his lead counsel Nicholas Kaufman, on June 12 sought his interim release to another country.
Duterte’s request cited humanitarian reasons and that he posed no flight risk.
In a response dated June 23, 2025, ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang asked the Pre-Trial Chamber I to reject Duterte’s request.
In opposing the interim release, Niang cited the risk of endangering ongoing investigations and the court’s proceedings.
“Chambers have previously found that a suspect’s rejection of the legitimacy of Court’s jurisdiction over them to be a factor justifying their continued detention in order to ensure their appearance at trial,” Niang stated in the filing.
During his presidency, Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the international treated that created the ICC.
The prosecution also drew attention to the continued political clout of Duterte and his family.
“This includes his daughter, Sara Duterte, who is Vice President of the Philippines and has made her position clear that she views her father’s detention at the Court as illegitimate,” the filing read.
For his part, the former president won election as Davao City mayor in the May 12, 2025 elections in the Philippines.
“If released, Mr. Duterte would have greater access to his associates and family who remain in positions of power with access to networks and personnel to carry out witness interference,” the prosecution stated.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I, composed of Judges Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and María del Socorro Flores Liera, will decide on the request for and opposition to interim release for Duterte.
A September 2025 hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial on the charges against Duterte.
Meanwhile, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is considering public opinion regarding the potential return of the Philippines under the jurisdiction of ICC.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro made the said remark in light of a new OCTA Research survey, which indicated that 57 percent of Filipinos favour the Philippines rejoining the ICC.
Photo from GMA Network
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