Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ruled out the possibility of former President Rodrigo Duterte returning to the Philippines after being arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“It’s a done deal,” Remulla stated.
According to Remulla, Duterte has already fulfilled his commitment to face all accusations against him.
“This is over—he’s already there. And he has repeatedly stated that he will face the charges. I believe he has told all of us, the Filipino people, multiple times that he will confront any allegations against him, even at the ICC. So that’s it. He’s there,” Remulla added.
A spokesperson clarified that the legal proceedings against Duterte are ongoing at The Hague, Netherlands, with a hearing scheduled for September 23.
“There is already a hearing. I believe judicial notice has been taken. The process has begun in The Hague, and a hearing is set for September 23. So we will rely on that,” the spokesperson added.
When asked about the government’s compliance with the Supreme Court’s order to comment on the consolidated habeas corpus petitions filed by Duterte’s children, Remulla confirmed that their response had already been submitted.
“We were authorized by the Executive Secretary to respond. It’s done. We submitted our comment yesterday.”
Remulla gave a brief response when asked about the details of their submission to the Supreme Court.
“Res ipsa loquitur—the thing speaks for itself. Whatever we submitted, that’s it.”
As the public continues to monitor Duterte’s case at the ICC, Remulla called for unity and emphasized the importance of justice.
“We must remain united as a nation in the spirit of justice. What we seek is the proper implementation of justice, whether for the victims or the accused. Let justice prevail.”
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