Sara leads ‘Free Duterte’ rally Down Under

Vice President Sara Duterte is set to lead a “Free Duterte” rally next week in Melbourne, Australia, raising speculations the International Criminal Court (ICC) may grant former President Rodrigo Duterte an interim release for his possible transfer to an ICC member country while awaiting trial for alleged crimes against humanity.

In an advisory, the Duterte Movement announced the rally will take place at Parliament Gardens in Melbourne on Sunday, 22 June, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The advisory said Vice President Duterte will be the main speaker at the event which is expected to draw members of the Filipino community in Australia.

A source close to the Vice President told Daily Tribune the rally could be a prelude to former president Duterte’s possible interim release to Australia, an ICC member state that has consistently provided financial support to the court and plays a key role in the election of judges and other top ICC officials.

“Australia has been providing consistent financial support to the ICC and plays a major role in enforcing the Rome Statute,” the source said, noting that the country exercises jurisdiction under the statute over such crimes as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Benito Ranque, convenor of the Movement for the Return of FPRRD, declined to comment on the possibility of Duterte’s transfer but confirmed the scheduled rally in Melbourne.

“The matter of an interim release is confined to the court and the lawyers,” Ranque said. He added that simultaneous rallies will be held in the Philippines in support of the Melbourne gathering next week.