Sara presses ICC to expedite Duterte case over detention concerns

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday pressed the International Criminal Court (ICC) to release former president Rodrigo Duterte and expedite proceedings in his crimes against humanity case, arguing that he no longer poses a flight risk or threat to the investigation.In a rally in The Hague, Duterte argued that the 81-year-old former president has been unjustly detained for more than a year despite posing no risk of fleeing, obstructing the proceedings or committing further crimes under the court's jurisdiction, saying the conditions for granting interim release have long been met.'If the ICC wants the world to respect the institution, they should first know how to respect the law,' Duterte said. She added that her father 'should be released and he should be released immediately,' maintaining that the tribunal had unnecessarily prolonged his detention.The vice president also challenged the ICC's jurisdiction over the case, questioned the credibility of its investigation and accused the tribunal of allowing politics to influence its actions. She further alleged that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. allowed the ICC investigation to continue despite the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute and renewed her criticism of former senator Antonio Trillanes IV over his role in initiating the complaint against the former president.