Sara Duterte described the visit as an “abuse of power against a vulnerable person,” indicating that it aims to “exploit the deteriorating health condition of her 80-year-old father,” according to Philippine media. Duterte, who was arrested in Manila last March based on an arrest warrant for “crimes against humanity” during his war on drugs, is detained in the Scheveningen prison in The Hague.
However, Duterte’s chief defense lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, noted that “the timing of the visit, which came after the defense requested the court sessions be postponed indefinitely, may indicate an attempt to gather information about the former president’s medical condition.” Sara Duterte revealed concerning information received by the family from medical sources, stating that her father was found unconscious on his room floor and underwent laboratory tests without informing the family or providing an explanation for the incident.
She added that “a minor health issue, such as an ingrown toenail, was not treated promptly, and the court rejected the request to provide a permanent caregiver beside his bed.” She emphasized that Duterte “does not pose a flight risk,” urging the court to correct this “grave injustice” and provide the appropriate care and humanitarian considerations he deserves.
The statement, signed by General Assimi Goita, head of the transitional phase in Mali and president of the union, confirmed that the three countries ratified the statute in April 2004 (Burkina Faso), August 2000 (Mali), and April 2002 (Niger) and cooperated with the court over many years based on the statute’s provisions and memoranda of understanding. However, it expressed deep disappointment over the court’s inability to prosecute war crimes and aggression, with “worrisome and complacent silence” towards their perpetrators from “the closed circle of beneficiaries of institutional international impunity,” while targeting “specific actors” outside this circle, violating the principles of the statute itself.
