Palace press officer, Atty. Claire Castro, on Wednesday rejected claims that former President Rodrigo Duterte was denied medical care following his arrest at Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon his arrival from Hong Kong.
The former president was arrested on charges of crimes against humanity filed by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a press conference, Castro emphasized that Duterte was treated both as a former chief executive and as a Filipino citizen.
“Hindi po ‘yan totoo dahil nu’ng panahon po na siya po ay nasa kustodiya na po, ang pagtrato po sa kanya ay ‘di po basta-basta,” Castro said.
“Wala pong katotohanan na ‘di siya binigyan ng atensyon,” she added.
The call for medical attention came from the former president’s daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, who posted on social media claiming that authorities were denying her father medical care.
Kitty shared a photo on social media of her father’s medical certificate, signed by a physician, indicating that the 79-year-old former president had consulted for follow-up care regarding diabetes management after his arrest.
Duterte is now en route to the Netherlands, where he will face charges for crimes against humanity.
