Medialdea leaves prison via ambulance

Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was transported out of The Hague Penitentiary Institution on Tuesday morning in an ambulance.

Medialdea, who was on a stretcher, was assisted by a medical team and was placed inside an ambulance at 9:51 a.m. local time (4:51 p.m. in Manila).

The ambulance left the facility two minutes later, but it was unclear where Medialdea was being taken.

Earlier, Senator Robin Padilla and several staff members of the Philippine Embassy in The Hague were seen waiting outside the penitentiary, also known as Scheveningen Prison, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility is located.

Medialdea, who serves as a counsel for former President Rodrigo Duterte, was reportedly visiting Duterte when the incident occurred.

According to former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Medialdea was in a wheelchair when the ambulance arrived.

Roque noted that Medialdea’s visit to the ICC facility was scheduled.

‘These elderly men were once young law students, preparing for exams and recitations, unaware that they would one day lead them to the greatest court appearance of their lives.’

Sought for reaction, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah said they have no information on Medialdea’s medical emergency.

“I have no information, but in general, we do not comment on private life matters,” he said.

Medialdea was one of three persons who accompanied Duterte to The Hague following his arrest last week. He was also with Duterte during their trip earlier to Hong Kong where the former chief executive addressed thousands of overseas foreign workers.

A seasoned lawyer, Medialdea was given a 15-day visa to help prepare for Duterte’s defense.

Medialde and Duterte go a long way, according to Kitty Duterte, the former president‘s daughter

“These elderly men were once young law students, preparing for exams and recitations, unaware that they would one day lead them to the greatest court appearance of their lives,” she said in a social media post.

“Attorney Medialdea proves that in a world full of opportunists and deceivers, one loyal and genuine friend is worth more than 10 who only take advantage,” she said.