Davao City first district Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte warned the Marcos administration that it should be held accountable if anything happens to his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
The lawmaker’s statement came after Vice President Sara Duterte alleged that some Philippine officials conducted “sham welfare checks” at the ICC detention unit. Paolo Duterte said such actions placed the former president’s life at risk. He added that public anger toward the current administration would worsen should anything happen to the elder Duterte.
The congressman emphasized that the visits were done without the family’s consent, which has heightened the concerns of relatives and supporters of the detained leader.
The Department of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that Philippine embassy officials visited the ICC detention center to conduct a welfare check. The DFA explained that the visit was part of the country’s obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which requires governments to ensure the welfare of their nationals imprisoned abroad.
However, questions were raised by Atty. Nicholas Kauffman, a member of Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team, who claimed the consular visit was carried out without authorization. He noted that the visit occurred during the adjournment of the confirmation of charges hearing. According to Kauffman, this has raised suspicions that the officials involved may have been gathering intelligence, particularly concerning the health status of the former president.
The issue has sparked renewed political tension, highlighting divisions between the Duterte family and the current administration over the handling of the ICC proceedings.
