No discussions on freezing Duterte's assets, Philippines confirms

The Philippine government has confirmed that there are no talks about freezing former President Rodrigo Duterte's assets. Claire Castro, a Palace Press Officer, made this announcement during a public briefing on Thursday. Castro was asked if Duterte's assets could be frozen while he faces trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. She stated that such actions would need coordination with government agencies, but no discussions have taken place. Duterte was arrested on March 11 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon returning from Hong Kong. He was taken directly to the ICC headquarters in the Netherlands. He appeared before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber on March 14, where he learned about the charges against him. Duterte's controversial drug war has drawn significant attention, with official reports stating it resulted in at least 6,000 deaths. However, human rights groups estimate the number could be much higher, ranging from 12,000 to 30,000 fatalities between 2016 and 2019.