Where to next? Paolo Duterte to visit 17 countries amid father's ICC arrest

Following the arrest of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on alleged crimes against humanity, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte is set to fly to multiple countries, including China and ASEAN nations.

This was disclosed after he sought travel clearance from the House of Representatives, a copy of which was shared with the media on Tuesday and subsequently approved by the chamber. The clearance allows him to visit 17 countries from 20 March to 10 May.

These include Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Singapore.

Japan and the Netherlands, where the ICC is headquartered, were also included in the lawmaker’s foreign trips.

Earlier this month, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco also approved an urgent travel request from Rep. Duterte for trips to Japan and the Netherlands, which is in effect until 15 April.

Vice President Sara Duterte is currently in The Hague, Netherlands, to help form the legal team of the patriarch, who is in the ICC’s custody for alleged crimes against humanity related to the massive summary killings of his bloody war on drugs.

She said she would only return to the Philippines after a relative arrives to take over for her.

Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, on 17 March 2019, the international tribunal asserted that it still retains jurisdiction over crimes committed before the country’s pullout.

The country’s withdrawal was pursuant to Duterte’s order after learning that the ICC had launched a preliminary investigation into his brutal anti-drug campaign.

The government logged more than 7,000 deaths related to Duterte’s drug war, although human rights organizations estimated that the actual death toll probably exceeded 30,000, predominantly affecting low-income families and communities.

Aside from the VP and Rep. Duterte, the youngest child of former President Duterte, Kitt, is also set to fly to The Hague with Honeylet Avanceña, the patriarch’s current partner.

The former president will celebrate his 80th birthday on Friday, 28 March. He will remain in ICC custody while awaiting the confirmation of his charges, which is scheduled for 23 September.