Atty. Paolo Panelo on Friday confirmed that Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, the youngest daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has filed a memorandum in the consolidated habeas corpus petitions seeking her father’s release from detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
Filed on January 5, the memorandum challenges the legality of Duterte’s arrest for alleged crimes against humanity and questions his supposed rendition to a foreign tribunal.
Panelo described the actions taken against the former President as “one of the gravest assaults to the Constitution in our nation’s history,” accusing the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of sacrificing national sovereignty and the rule of law “for political retribution.”
“By unlawfully arresting and detaining a former President without a warrant and due process, and surrendering him to a foreign tribunal without jurisdiction— all while lying about Interpol involvement to cover their treason,” Panelo said.
He said the Supreme Court is now faced with a critical test on whether it will uphold its constitutional duty or allow political considerations to override national sovereignty.
Panelo expressed hope that the high court would stand as “the last bulwark of the Constitution” and “choose the side of history that defends the rule of law and the Filipino people, and not the politicians who betray them.”
“A beloved former President languishing in foreign captivity, and his beleaguered nation, await,” Panelo said.