The Panelo Law Office, representing Kitty Duterte—the youngest daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte—filed an urgent motion on November 18 seeking the immediate repatriation of the former chief executive.
According to the firm of former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, the motion was prompted by the Supreme Court’s prolonged silence on petitions filed last March 12.
These petitions call for swift action against what they describe as the extralegal rendition or illegal transfer of Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC), where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.
The filing emphasized that the absence of a ruling could worsen Duterte’s health or lead to an “inhumane death” under foreign custody.
It also urged accountability for officials allegedly behind the “illegal abduction” and surrender of Duterte to the ICC, while asking the Court to prevent further violations of human rights and due process—such as the supposed risk of a similar fate befalling Senator Bato dela Rosa.
The motion cited the successful repatriation of Negros Oriental lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr., despite the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals rejecting his extradition, as proof that the Philippine government has the capacity to bring Duterte home even amid possible ICC resistance.
In its closing statement, the Panelo Law Office called on the Supreme Court to act swiftly to uphold the Rule of Law and ensure that “blatant violations of fundamental rights do not go unpunished.”