Malacañang on Monday said it would leave matters regarding the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) denial of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s request for interim release to his legal team.

“Kung ano man po ang naging desisyon, hayaan na lang po natin ang mga abogado nila at mga parties diyan ang gumawa ng aksyon (Whatever the decision, let his legal team and parties to act on it),” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said during a press briefing.

Castro also reiterated that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is not involved in the case, distancing the current administration from the ongoing ICC proceedings.

The statement comes after the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I rejected Duterte’s plea for interim release, citing that his detention “remains necessary.” 

In its 23-page decision dated 26 September, the Chamber ruled that the conditions for detention under Article 60(2), in connection with Article 58(1) of the Rome Statute, continue to be met.

Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity, including murder and attempted murder, stemming from his administration’s controversial war on drugs. 

The chamber highlighted that members of Duterte’s family “physically resisted” his arrest and “publicly demanded” his return to the Philippines. 

It took note of a 19 July speech by Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, in which she reportedly mentioned breaking him out of the ICC Detention Centre and accused the court of colluding with the Philippine government and using “fake witnesses.”

The ICC also cited an incident on 19 August, where Duterte allegedly told his daughter he would return to Davao City if granted interim release, contradicting his defense team's claim that he would remain within the jurisdiction of the state where he would be released.