Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s legal team will be pushing for his temporary release from the International Criminal Court (ICC) prison at The Hague, Netherlands.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Ian Cruz on Thursday, Duterte’s legal team said they believe there was no reason to detain him during his impending trial.

“Pagdating namin doon, we can ask for his release temporary release. Wala namang reason to detain him while the case is on trial. Kung trial, di trial. Kung recess, pwede natin siyang iuwi sa Pilipinas,” said lawyer Silvestre Bello III.

(When we get there, we can ask for his temporary release. There is no reason to detain him while the case is on trial. If it’s a trial, then it’s a trial. During a recess, we can bring him home to the Philippines.)

“Ano ba mga condition nila [for release]? Hindi tatakas? Hindi naman tatakas si president. Saan siya pupunta? How can a former president hide? Lahat ng tao kilala siya,” added Bello.

(What are their conditions [for release]? That he wouldn’t escape? The president won’t escape. Where would he go? How can a former president hide? Everybody recognizes him.)

The ICC rules state that an accused individual may request for interim release depending on several conditions and considerations allowed by the court.

Duterte’s legal team, which includes former labor secretary Bello, lawyers Martin Delgra,Israelito Torreon, Vic Rodriguez, Fred Lim, former Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commissioner Cesar Dulay, and former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, said that they will also question the ICC’s jurisdiction in the Philippines.

“We have to prepare for his defense. Initially yung defense, and then we have to study the processes in the ICC. Frankly, we don’t know the processes there now but just like any judicial body, hindi siguro nalalayo sa ating proseso, (it probably doesn’t differ much from our own process.)” Bello said.

The ICC earlier stated the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute only became effective on March 2019, which means they have jurisdiction on crimes committed committed from November 2011 until then.

Meanwhile, legal counsels would only be allowed to represent an accused or a victim at the ICC if they are registered within their list of counsels.

At present, there are only five Filipino lawyers listed as ICC counsels. This includes former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

“It also means that no one is above the law, that there will be a day of reckoning. There will be a day of justice for everyone. And even powerful men such as Rodrigo Duterte,” said Gilbert Andres, legal representative for drug war victims. 

(Reports from GMA Integrated News)