Joseph Azil Buena

Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, during a pre-trial on March 14, criticized the alleged alliance between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Photo Courtesy of NewsWatch Plus/ICC.

On March 14, Duterte made his first appearance through video link, with Medialdea as his defense counsel, before the ICC pre-trial chamber after his arrest over charges of crimes against humanity.

Medialdea described the situation as “two troubled entities” forming an “unlikely alliance” that led to Duterte’s arrest and swift transfer to The Hague, Netherlands, on March 11.

“My client was denied all access to legal recourse in his own country, all in the name of political score-settling,” Medialdea said in his opening statement.

“An incumbent president who wished to neutralize and choke the legacy of my client and his daughter,” he emphasized, referring to Marcos Jr. and his former running mate turned-arch enemy Vice President Sara Duterte, who is facing impeachment.

“A troubled legal institution subject to delegitimization and desperate for a price catch and a legal show today” the counsel added, criticizing the ICC’s role in Duterte’s arrest.

In his four-minute-long statement, Medialdea labeled Duterte’s arrest and transport abroad as “pure and simple kidnapping.”

He claimed the chartered plane that flew Duterte to The Hague was coordinated precisely to facilitate his "abduction" from the Philippines.

Earlier, the ownership of the chartered plane sparked public speculation, with many questioning who financed Duterte’s transport to The Hague.

On March 14, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that the Office of the President covered the costs of the chartered flight on the morning of the arrest.

Medialdea stressed his client’s “precipitous arrival,” noting Duterte is an elderly man with serious medical conditions, describing him as “hard of hearing and poor of sight.”

He also questioned why he was only able to speak with Duterte briefly on the morning of the pre-trial, with less than an hour to discuss legal matters.

“I have not even been able to explain to him what the prosecution requested when seeking the issuance of the arrest warrant. This is because the chamber only established a redacted version of the prosecution’s request last night.,” he added.

He ended his statement by reiterating his request—which had already been denied once—to postpone the substantive aspects of the hearing until the following week.

In response, the court dismissed concerns over Duterte’s health, stating he was “fully mentally aware and fit.”

Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc noted that while Duterte was unfit to attend in person, he could participate via video link with written permission, which is what he did during the pre-trial hearing.

She also rejected the defense’s request to delay proceedings, emphasizing that the initial hearing required “not much preparation.”

However, the judge ordered the prosecution to begin disclosing the confidential evidence Medialdea referenced, with full disclosure required within seven days.

She set the next confirmation of charges hearing for September 23, six months from today, with the possibility of rescheduling if necessary.