Vice President Sara Duterte is taking steps to become an accredited legal counsel to ensure unrestricted access to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at The Hague, Netherlands, following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque revealed on Monday that VP Sara’s move is intended to avoid the procedures required for relatives visiting detainees at the ICC.
“That’s why VP Sara is being accredited as legal counsel so that she will have the right to visit in and out freely. If she were to enter as a relative, she would need to submit an application and sign documents each time,” Roque said in Filipino.
As a family member, each visit would necessitate an application and multiple signatures before being granted access.
By obtaining accreditation as legal counsel, she would have the right to visit freely without repeated approval processes.
Roque also said that he hasn't been officially recognized by the ICC as a legal counsel for the president yet.
“I’m legal counsel for the president kasi I have given advice to the president on ICC matters, but I have not yet been officially recognized by the court as counsel," he said.
As the ICC proceedings continue, Duterte’s allies and supporters are closely monitoring the situation, with many expressing concerns about the implications of his detention and calling for his immediate release.