Lawyers representing victims of the drug war on Friday expressed their opposition to the “interim release” expected to be filed by former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte, who is currently in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, is expected to request an interim release that would allow an accused individual to be granted temporary liberty before trial under specific conditions, such as territorial restrictions. The request must be submitted in writing and promptly decided upon by the pre-trial chamber.
“Interim release pending trial is a right of the accused… [But] victims believe he is a flight risk — he is running for mayor of Davao City — and a threat to the safety of witnesses and evidence,” Neri Colmenares and Kristina Conti, both of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), said.
Conti, an ICC-registered counsel, is set to represent the families of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) before the ICC.
While the NUPL acknowledges that every accused person has the right to “interim release,” they argue that Duterte should not be granted this privilege.
They emphasized that Duterte is fortunate to have the opportunity to stand trial, unlike his alleged victims, who were summarily executed without a chance to defend themselves.
“This is a unique opportunity to educate ourselves on the intricacies of due process, which victims of the war on drugs have barely enjoyed. Duterte’s best defense lies within the court’s walls, not with politics in the Philippines or rallying outside the detention center,” the lawyers said.
The lawyers further noted that they will formally file their opposition to any such petition in a timely manner. “[We] will present these comments on any such petition in a timely and proper manner.”