The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte remains detained at its facility in The Hague, amid ongoing legal proceedings regarding his request for interim release.
In a statement released Thursday, the ICC’s Public Information and Outreach Section clarified the status of the former leader, responding to speculation triggered by a court ruling that temporarily suspended deliberations on his appeal for provisional freedom.
“He is still in the ICC detention centre,” the court emphasized, referring to its facility located within the Scheveningen Prison complex in the Netherlands.
The 80-year-old Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity for his controversial and brutal “war on drugs,” a campaign that rights groups and international observers claim resulted in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos, many without due process.
Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11 and swiftly extradited to the Netherlands on the same night. He has been held in ICC custody since then, as proceedings against him move forward.
The Pre-Trial Chamber’s recent decision to pause the assessment of Duterte’s interim release request does not translate to any form of leniency or release, the ICC stressed. Instead, it allows the judges more time to deliberate on legal and procedural matters without altering his current detention status.
Human rights advocates have praised the ICC for its continued vigilance, seeing the case as a landmark moment for international justice. Meanwhile, Duterte’s legal team insists the charges are politically motivated and continues to push for his release as the legal process unfolds.