MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte was not in the International Criminal Court Detention Centre in Schevenigen, The Hague, as of Thursday night (Philippine time) according to former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Medialdea in an interview with ABS-CBN News outside the detention center, said they asked the ICC to bring Duterte to the hospital as soon as they landed due to his poor health. 

The ICC agreed, but Medialdea said they were not informed which hospital he was brought to.

He was later told Duterte was not inside the detention facility when he tried to visit him.

“Before we deplaned, we had a meeting with the ICC. I requested that the former president be brought directly to a hospital because of his bad medical condition. It was almost 24 hour flight, he just came from Hong Kong, not allowed to visit his home, not even allowed to see a doctor in a hospital before he could be transported here. Now, we made a request for hospitalization, they gave the assurance that he will be brought to a hospital, and I asked for the name of the hospital, up to now they have not given us the name of the hospital, so took the position that he could have been brought here directly, and we are told that there is no President Duterte inside the facility,” he said.

“We are at a loss at this time, and lokohan na ‘to. I think this is part of their grand plan to kidnap the president, to extract from the Philippines and brought to a jet without known destination. I was even forced to join that plane without any valid visa coming here. They are telling me that there is no Rodrigo R. Duterte inside this facility,” he alleged.

According to Medialdea, they requested to visit him at the detention facility because they have no information where Duterte was brought upon arriving in the Netherlands.

“We assumed that he was brought here last night after deplaning,” he said.

“We don’t know where he is right now. He doesn’t even have his medicines with him,” Medialdea added.

Medialdea also said he has already talked to Vice President Sara Duterte on the phone, but he has yet to meet her.

They will continue requesting the ICC for information about Duterte, he added.

“Isinakay siya sa ambulance, ibinigay lang namin ‘yung mga records…Ang sabi lang, he will be well taken cared of, and we will immediately be informed of the name of the hospital. But hanggang ngayon, nakakalungkot ‘yung ganitong ginagawa nila,” Medialdea said.

“We will go back to the ICC and ask where he is right now, because a family member is waiting here to see him," he added.

UNDER ICC CUSTODY

ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah, however, confirmed Thursday that Duterte is under ICC custody at the ICC detention centre in Scheveningen. 

"He was admitted today following all medical checks. When a suspect arrives in ICC custody, the Court as standard practice takes measures to protect the health and well-being of the suspect.  The Court will announce in due course the schedule for the initial appearance. We recall the importance of respecting the integrity of the judicial process," the ICC spokesperson said in a message to ABS-CBN News

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) also earlier confirmed that Vice President Duterte is now in Amsterdam, Netherlands and is scheduled to visit her father.

The Duterte patriarch arrived at Rotterdam airport at 4:56 p.m. CET (11:56 p.m. Philippine time) and proceeded to Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands where the ICC detention center is located.

VP Sara Duterte set to meet dad Rodrigo at the Hague: OVP

Ex-president Duterte arrives at ICC detention center

SCHEVENINGEN DETENTION CENTER

Duterte was earlier reported to have arrived at the Scheveningen detention center in The Hague on Wednesday night (March 12) where he will be detained while facing murder charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He is expected to stay at the ICC Detention Centre, which is located within the prison facility.

Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was arrested early on Tuesday in Manila, marking the biggest step yet in the ICC's probe into alleged crimes against humanity during an anti-drugs crackdown that killed thousands and drew condemnation around the world.

Pro-Duterte supporters have gathered outside the prison, before his arrival, holding banners, chanting Duterte's name and waving Philippines flags.

Duterte, 79, could become the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC in The Hague.

The ICC's warrant for his arrest says that as president, Duterte created, funded and armed death squads that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.

In coming days, he will be brought before a judge and the allegations will be read out in court. Prosecutors accuse him of crimes against humanity for systematic attacks that led to dozens of murders. - with reports Jofelle Tesorio, ABS-CBN News; Reuters

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