THE camp of former president Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said the recent visit of Philippine Embassy officials to the 80-year old former leader in his detention facility at the International Criminal Court (ICC) was not coordinated with them.
In a statement, Duterte lead defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman said the visit could have been designed to “gather intelligence” on the state of the former president’s medical condition.
The defense team has told the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1 that Duterte is not fit to stand trial for the crimes against humanity complaint that he is facing because of his worsening medical condition, particularly due to cognitive impairment.
“Previous visits by consulate officials have been coordinated through the Defense, yet this visit was not. Of more concern, however, is the fact that this visit came in the wake in the immediate aftermath of the publication of the Defense request for an indefinite adjournment, and was without a shadow of a doubt, calculated to obtain intelligence concerning the former president’s medical condition,” Kaufman said.
He said they are considering their options, including legal ones, to prevent a repeat of such uncoordinated visit.
“The Defense is still obtaining information and considering the appropriate legal avenue to address this gross invasion of privacy and attempt to subvert the legal process by exploiting a detainee’s medical infirmity,” he said.
The ICC issued a brief statement but did not specifically mention the matter.
“In a general way, the ICC acts in accordance with the ICC Rome Statute and relevant applicable rules, and follows international standards of detained persons having access to consular representatives. Such visits, if any, are strictly conducted with the approval or at the request of the person in detention,” the court said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday defended the visit of embassy officials to Duterte, saying there was nothing irregular with it and that it was done to conduct a welfare check on the former leader.
The department issued the statement after Vice President Sara Duterte slammed what she said was a “sham welfare check” on her father by embassy officials.
The younger Duterte said the visit by the embassy officials was not permitted by any member of their family.
She also criticized the ICC for allowing Philippine officials to visit her father without family permission, saying this “places his life and safety in imminent danger.”
The DFA insisted that the visit was “in line with its functions under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and relevant Philippine laws to protect the welfare of all Filipinos.”
It said such welfare checks are similarly done by embassy or consulate officials to any Filipino in detention abroad.
