Duterte supporters weep as ICC denies appeal; grandson Omar airs call

Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who had gathered at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, cried upon learning that the ICC Appeals Chamber rejected his appeal and upheld the Pre-Trial Chamber's decision denying his request for interim release.

According to GMA Integrated News stringer Andy Peñafuerte, at least one of the supporters hugged the cardboard standee of the former President after the appeals chamber delivered its ruling.

Among those at the ICC grounds were Duterte's grandson, Davao City Rep. Omar Duterte, and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

"I hope that the ICC court feeds into their humanitarian side. Sees that the person is no longer a threat or a flight risk or anything," Omar said.

The sympathizers said the appeals chamber should have considered Duterte's age, 80 years old, and his health condition.

Omar called on the supporters to continue supporting his grandfather's defense counsel, Nicholas Kaufman.

The ICC Appeals Chamber said that Duterte’s counsel failed to prove that the Pre-Trial Chamber didn't consider humanitarian grounds for his temporary release.

“The Appeals Chamber thus considers that the Pre-Trial Chamber assessed relevant information before it, in light of the arguments made by the Defense and reached its conclusion on this basis," the chamber said.

"It follows that the Defense has failed to demonstrate that the Pre-Trial Chamber’s assessment was unreasonable. Accordingly, the Appeals Chamber finds that the Defense has failed to show that the Pre-Trial Chamber erred in its assessment,” it added.

Further, the appeals chamber denied the claims of Duterte's lawyers that the pre-trial chamber erred in finding the former President posed a risk and in rejecting state guarantees.

It said the defense failed to demonstrate that the pre-trial chamber's conclusions were unreasonable. –NB, GMA Integrated News