Duterte's daughter petitions Supreme Court over ICC arrest

Veronica Duterte, daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, has requested the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of her father's arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Her appeal comes even though their previous legal request may no longer be relevant, as Duterte is already in ICC custody in The Hague. In a statement submitted to the court, Veronica, represented by former legal counsel Salvador Panelo, argued that their appeal should still be considered. The Department of Justice (DOJ) suggested that their petitions were pointless because the former president is no longer in the Philippines. Veronica countered that allowing the DOJ to avoid addressing the case would reward unlawful actions. She emphasized that similar issues could arise again, pointing to recent government announcements about further ICC-related arrests. Last week, Duterte was flown to the ICC to face accusations of crimes against humanity linked to his controversial drug war. This followed the government's cooperation with Interpol in executing an arrest warrant. In response to the legal situation, Acting Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin ordered the DOJ to represent the government in the petitions challenging Duterte’s arrest. The DOJ is now responsible for addressing three habeas corpus petitions from Veronica and her brothers. The Office of the Solicitor General had previously planned to withdraw from representing the government, but his decision faced criticism. Legal experts noted that the Solicitor General has a duty to defend the government in court, and stepping down without valid reasons could be viewed as neglecting that responsibility.