Senator Cayetano Urges House Arrest for Former President Duterte

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano has sought house arrest for former president Rodrigo Duterte at the Philippine Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands. He filed a resolution urging the Philippine government to appeal before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Duterte's interim release. Cayetano, who was Duterte's running mate in the 2016 presidential elections, emphasized that Duterte, 80, should be granted interim release under humanitarian grounds, citing the Filipino culture of caring for the elderly.

The ICC, with the assistance of Interpol, arrested Duterte on March 11 to face trial for crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs. The resolution highlighted that under both domestic and international law, the former president should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that granting him interim release would be beneficial to his health without compromising the ongoing trial's integrity.

The resolution seeks an arrangement with the ICC for Duterte's custody to be transferred to the embassy under a form of house arrest or any suitable arrangement approved by the Court. These arrangements would be subject to conditions imposed by the ICC pre-trial chamber, including restrictions on movement, staying at a specific address, prohibition of contact with victims or witnesses, and compliance with summons. It also mentioned Duterte's declining health due to old age and prolonged social isolation, warning that continued detention could severely impact his well-being.

The resolution urged the government to take action promptly to address Duterte's situation.

According to the source: The Manila Times.