BUTUAN CITY – Vice President Sara Duterte clarified on Friday that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense team, did not contact Australia regarding his interim release from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
This came after reports suggesting the Australian government had declined to host Duterte if the ICC granted his release. In an interview in Samal, she emphasized that there was no application made to Australia for Duterte’s interim release. The request for release was submitted by Duterte’s counsel, Nicolas Kaufman, on June 12, with two undisclosed countries reportedly agreeing to receive him.
Vice President Duterte confirmed that Australia is not among these countries. The ICC has interim release agreements with Belgium and Argentina, but Duterte remains detained in The Hague, Netherlands, pending trial for alleged crimes against humanity during his anti-drug campaign.
