Duterte brought to ICC detention clinic, says Harry Roque

Former president Rodrigo Duterte has been brought to the "clinic" of the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s detention facility in The Hague to have his condition monitored, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday. 

At a virtual press conference, Roque, who is in the legal team of Duterte, said the medicines of the former Philippine leader have been delivered to him in detention.

“I also need to underscore this, siya po ngayon ay nasa kumbaga parang clinic nung facility na ‘yun dahil he’s still being monitored. Ang problema nga kasi, nagkulang siya ng gamot talaga,” Roque said. 

(Duterte is currently in a so-called clinic of the facility because he’s being monitored. The problem was his medicines were lacking.) 

“Although alam ng mga doktor ang gamot do’n, ang aking huling narinig is they are providing him with substitute medicine. Kaya nga po kagabi, nag-deliver kami ng totoong medicine niya with letter and prescription para makita nila na hindi na dapat substitute medicine ang ibigay kung hindi ‘yung talagang mga gamot na ni [dating] presidente,” he added. 

(Although the doctors there know his medicine, what I last heard was that they were providing him with substitute medicine. That’s why last night, we delivered his actual medicines, along with a letter and prescription, so that he won’t be given substitute medicines but his actual medicines.) 

Aside from medicines, Roque said that slippers and socks were also brought for Duterte. He said that the detention facility also accommodated Duterte’s meal request for rice aside from Dutch food. 

During the initial hearing in his case, Duterte faced the International Criminal Court (ICC) via video link as former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea claimed that he had “debilitating medical issues.” 

Presiding judge Iulia Motoc, however, said the court doctor had found Duterte "fully mentally aware and fit".

Roque said that Duterte was only deemed fit to appear in the hearing by video. 

“He was deemed fit to appear, but it was also deemed fit that he would only appear by video. Malinaw po ‘yun. Kaya nga hindi na siya pina-appear [that’s clear that’s why he didn’t appear physically]. But he’s deemed fit, it’s only for purposes of appearance by video. So that says a lot,” he said.

Before Duterte was flown to the Netherlands, Veronica "Kitty" Duterte shared a photo of her father’s medical certificate signed by a physician, indicating that the 79-year-old former president consulted for follow-up care for diabetes management, following his arrest. 

Back then, the doctor advised that Duterte be admitted to a hospital “to avoid acute diabetes complication of diabetic ketoacidosis” as his glucose level supposedly “shot up to 328 despite the insulin regimen.” –NB, GMA Integrated News