Former spokesperson labels Duterte’s arrest on ICC warrant as ‘kidnapping’
The extradition of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte violated both domestic law and the regulations of the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to Salvador Panelo, his former chief presidential legal counsel and spokesperson....
TroibNews 
The extradition of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte violated both domestic law and the regulations of the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to Salvador Panelo, his former chief presidential legal counsel and spokesperson.
Duterte was apprehended at Manila’s international airport, subsequently detained, and flown to The Hague, where he was handed over to the ICC. He faces accusations of crimes against humanity stemming from his war on drugs during his presidency from 2016 to 2022.
Panelo stated during an interview with RTN on Friday that the former president was “arrested without a warrant,” taken to Villamor Air Base in the Philippines, and “detained there illegally.”
The former presidential legal aide emphasized, “From our point of view, that was an illegal arrest, that was an illegal detention, and that was kidnapping.” He also noted that the arrest warrant originated from a “spurious” source that “as far as this country is concerned…has no jurisdiction.”
Since 2019, the Philippines has been out of the ICC following Duterte’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute, which is the court's founding treaty.
Panelo highlighted that under Filipino law, any foreign arrest warrant must be processed through a local court. He added that according to the Rome Statute, when the ICC issues a warrant of arrest, it “has to be referred to the state member and it has to pass through a judicial authority, and that was not done.”
Additionally, Panelo speculated that Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, could face a similar warrant in the future that might prevent her from running in the 2028 presidential election. This concern arises amid increasing tensions between Sara Duterte and incumbent President Bongbong Marcos, which have led to impeachment proceedings against the former.
Panelo defended Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug efforts, stating that they “stopped criminality, reduced it to the barest minimum,” and contributed to his “astronomical” approval ratings among the public in the Philippines. He asserted that any determination of the former president's guilt or innocence should be made by Filipino courts.
James del Carmen contributed to this article for TROIB News
Duterte was apprehended at Manila’s international airport, subsequently detained, and flown to The Hague, where he was handed over to the ICC. He faces accusations of crimes against humanity stemming from his war on drugs during his presidency from 2016 to 2022.
Panelo stated during an interview with RTN on Friday that the former president was “arrested without a warrant,” taken to Villamor Air Base in the Philippines, and “detained there illegally.”
The former presidential legal aide emphasized, “From our point of view, that was an illegal arrest, that was an illegal detention, and that was kidnapping.” He also noted that the arrest warrant originated from a “spurious” source that “as far as this country is concerned…has no jurisdiction.”
Since 2019, the Philippines has been out of the ICC following Duterte’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute, which is the court's founding treaty.
Panelo highlighted that under Filipino law, any foreign arrest warrant must be processed through a local court. He added that according to the Rome Statute, when the ICC issues a warrant of arrest, it “has to be referred to the state member and it has to pass through a judicial authority, and that was not done.”
Additionally, Panelo speculated that Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, could face a similar warrant in the future that might prevent her from running in the 2028 presidential election. This concern arises amid increasing tensions between Sara Duterte and incumbent President Bongbong Marcos, which have led to impeachment proceedings against the former.
Panelo defended Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug efforts, stating that they “stopped criminality, reduced it to the barest minimum,” and contributed to his “astronomical” approval ratings among the public in the Philippines. He asserted that any determination of the former president's guilt or innocence should be made by Filipino courts.
James del Carmen contributed to this article for TROIB News
