A political group aligned with the Duterte family on Wednesday renewed calls for his immediate release from detention, alleging violations of due process and questioning the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over the Philippines.

In a statement, Hakbang ng Maisug said Duterte’s continued detention for more than a year is a “gross violation” of his basic rights, describing his arrest as “arbitrary” and raising concerns over what it called judicial overreach by the ICC.

The group also accused the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of cooperating in Duterte’s arrest and transfer to The Hague, characterizing the move as “state kidnapping.”

“The ICC has sent wrong signals to the international community that it can arrest, transport and detain individuals… of a non-member state as long as the incumbent government actively participates,” the group said.

Hakbang ng Maisug further argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines, which withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, and maintained that the country’s judicial system remains “fully functioning.”

But under ICC jurisprudence, a case may still be declared admissible if ICC judges determine that domestic investigations are insufficient, limited in scope, or not meaningfully pursued. 

The group also cited Duterte’s age and health condition as grounds for his return to the Philippines, adding that the former president has expressed willingness to face allegations before local courts.

Duterte has been under ICC investigation over allegations tied to his administration’s anti-drug campaign, which human rights groups estimate resulted in thousands of deaths. 

The ICC has maintained that it retains jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed while the Philippines was still a member of the court.

In its statement, Hakbang ng Maisug claimed that accusations against Duterte remain unsubstantiated, asserting that critics have failed to build a “comprehensive and cohesive case.” 

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