Ex-president Duterte seeks exemption from appearing at ICC hearing

Former President Rodrigo Duterte has requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber to waive his appearance at the reading of the judgment on jurisdiction on April 22. In a document dated April 13, Duterte sought the permission of the Appeals Chamber for him not to attend the reading of its decision on their appeal against a ruling that junked his challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court. “The Appeals Chamber is hereby requested to permit Mr. Rodrigo Roa Duterte to absent himself from the reading of the judgment in the matter of the appeal of the Decision on the Defence Challenge to the Jurisdiction of the Court,” the request stated. If permitted, he would be represented by his counsel. Nicholas Kaufman signed the request submitted to the ICC. Earlier, the ICC announced that on April 22, the Appeals Chamber will deliver its judgment on the appeal of the Defence against Pre-Trial Chamber I’s decision of regarding the challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court in the case against Duterte. The judgment will be delivered by the Chamber in open court and can be followed live on the Court’s website. It can be recalled that on Oct. 23 last year, Pre-Trial Chamber I rejected the Duterte’s challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court in the case. On Oct. 28 of the same year, the Duterte camp submitted appealed against the decision and submitted its appeal brief on jurisdiction on Nov. 14. The former president is currently detained at ICC in The Hague for charges against humanity over his administration’s deadly war on drugs.