Philippine鈥檚 former President Rodrigo Duterte (C) addresses a proclamation rally for his senatorial candidates of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino party ahead of the midterm elections. This was at a social club in Manila on February 13, 2025. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Palace said that former President Rodrigo Duterte will receive legal assistance from the government if it is needed.
This comes as he faces charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his bloody war on illegal drugs.
At a briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro was asked whether or not the government will do anything to help Duterte.
鈥淧apaanong tulong po aasahan kung mayroon naman siyang sariling abodago?鈥� she wondered.
(What kind of help can be expected if he already has his own lawyer?)
鈥淏ut anyway, mayroon naman po tayong batas鈥攁ng RA [Republic Act 9851]鈥攌ung saan sinasabi po na kahit po ang dating Pangulong Duterte ay masasabi pong dapat na usigin, or kailangang magkaroon ng hearing sa International Criminal Court [ICC],鈥� she said.
(But anyway, we have a law鈥擱A [Republic Act 9851]鈥攚hich states that even former President Duterte can be prosecuted or should undergo a hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
鈥淗indi naman din po pababayaan ng ating gubyerno, lalung lalo na po kung ito ay tungkol sa kanyang karapatan,鈥� Castro noted.
(However, our government will not abandon him, especially when it comes to his rights.)
Castro said she has no information yet on whether or not someone from the Duterte鈥檚 camp has reached out for help from the Palace.
On Tuesday evening, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that Duterte was en route to The Hague, Netherlands, to face the charges before the ICC.
鈥淭he plane carrying former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte took off at 11:03 p.m. this evening and exited Philippine airspace,鈥� Marcos said in his address.
The drug war claimed at least 6,000 lives, according to official government data.
However, human rights watchdogs estimated the death toll from the drug war to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019.
They said several of the cases were extrajudicial killings.