The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to reject the petition of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s camp for his interim release.
In a statement, the group said the ruling reflects the call of the families of victims of the bloody war on drugs that no special treatment should be given to the “mastermind” behind it.
The ruling reportedly cited the aggressive remarks made by the former president’s children as one of the bases for denying the interim release.
According to BAYAN, the issue is not only about the Duterte family’s influence but also their political machinery, which poses threats to witnesses, victims’ families, justice advocates, and human rights defenders.
Because of this, the group asserted that it is not enough for Duterte to merely remain in ICC custody.
They stressed that protection must also be extended to everyone involved in the ICC trial, as well as to those actively demanding accountability for the crimes the former president allegedly committed against the Filipino people.
(PHOTO COURTESY: ICC, REUTERS)
