CHINA OFFICIAL STATEMENT - ON DUTERTE'S SEEKING ASYLUM

CHINA OFFICIAL STATEMENT - ON DUTERTE'S SEEKING ASYLUM - March 11, 2025, the globe was witness on Former President RODRIGO ROA DUTTERTE’S arrest at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the former President Rodrigo Duterte with his family and team arrived at the airport on 11^TH March 2025 from Hongkong, they came from Hongkong for the rally campaign activity for his senatorial ticket candidate for the incoming 2025 midterm election.

 

When Duterte together his family arrived, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Headed by PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil immediately issued the arrest warrant from International Criminal Court (ICC) through International Police (InterPol). Former President Rodrigo Duterte brought to the Villamor airbase the military camp, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 2 star General Nicolas Torre known as the head of command assigned to Duterte arrest

 

The said arrest was full of controversies, Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s camp or side insist that arrest was invalid, because the Philippines had no longer a member of the said Judicial body the ICC since 2019. Other said that the former president depriving his liberty, deprive due process of law, and Jurisdiction of international criminal court (ICC) no longer exist.

 

Other reasons for his arrest were illegal because of the rules of article 59 of the rome statute does not apply to him:

 

Article 59 of the Rome Statute:

Arrest proceedings in the custodial state

1.       A state party which has received a request arrest or for arrest and surrender shall immediately take steps to arrest person in accordance with its laws and the provisions of Part 9.

2.       A person arrested shall be brought promptly before the competent judicial authority in the custodial State which shall determine in accordance with the law of that state that:

 

(a)    The warrant applies to that person

(b)    The person has been arrested in accordance with the proper process and

(c)     The person’s rights have been respected.

 

With that said arrest proceedings, the Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte does not acquire those procedures. Around the globe was observing the situation during that time, around the Philippines and Filipinos overseas we’re getting agree and their sympathy we’re in former President Rodrigo Duterte.

 

More or less 12 hours former president Duterte was held in Villamor airbase of the Philippine Army camp, and preparing for his airplane to be transport to the Hague Netherland, on the same day the former president flew to the Hague.

Minutes after Former president Rodrigo Duterte his airplane takes off, the Palace took press conference and the President Ferdinand R. Marcos confirmed that the former president RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE was takes off carrying the private jet, in the Jet former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte together his former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea and others.

 

News came from other mainstream media said that former President Rodrigo Duterte while in Hongkong seeking or applying the asylum to Hongkong or China, was this true? This day one of the official from China made a statement pertaining the news spreading, here is the official statement:

“I would like to point out specially that Mr. Duterte’s visit to Hong Kong was a private vacation. China has never received a so-called application for asylum from former president and his family to the Chinese Government. For those so-called insiders who make things up or have ulterior motives, we hope that media friends will carefully make their own judgement and not take any truths from what they are saying.”

 

When Palace asked about the former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s asylum, the Presidential spoke person Atty.Claire Castro also denied that it is not true that the Former President Rodrigo Duterte applying asylum in Hong Kong or even in China prior to his arrest.  

 

Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte still in Hague Netherland at detention facility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) facing his charged “Crime Against Humanity”. According to the presiding Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Judge IULIA MOTOC the next hearing is in September 2025.

 

According to Vice President ZARA DUTERTE, atty. Harry Roque and atty. Salvador Medialdea was not a part of legal team on Duterte’s International Criminal Court (ICC) case. The lead counsel for this case is Nicholas Kaufman. Kaufman is a British-Israeli lawyer who has served as a defense lawyeer at the International Criminal Court and accredited ICC lawyer.