Duterte's admissions to hurt his defense
(UPDATE) FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte will have trouble defending himself before the International Criminal Court (ICC) because his many public admissions directly implicate him in the extrajudicial killings that marked his bloody war on drugs, former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio said Tuesday. "He has made multiple public admissions, including statements about ordering extrajudicial killings and taking full responsibility for them. These will all be used in court," Carpio said. Over the years, Duterte has made numerous remarks acknowledging the deadly crackdown on suspected drug offenders. In some instances, he even boasted about personally pulling the trigger during his tenure as Davao City mayor and later as president. These statements, Carpio said, are invaluable to the prosecution. "He admitted that he had a death squad. He admitted ordering the killings. He accepted full legal and moral responsibility," Carpio said. "These admissions, caught on record and widely circulated, form the best possible evidence against him." Carpio also said it was unlikely that the former president would be returning to the Philippines any time soon, as the shortest time for a trial before the ICC was two years, and bail would not be an option. "Until the case is over, and that is only if he is acquitted. If he's not acquitted, then he cannot come home anymore," the former magistrate said, emphasizing the weight of the ICC's proceedings against Duterte. While interim release has been granted in past cases, it was only given to those who voluntarily surrendered, he said. "All those who were involuntarily brought against their will to the ICC were never given any interim relief," Carpio said. "They were not allowed bail. So I think that will apply to former president Duterte." But Carpio said he expects Duterte's case to proceed relatively quickly compared to other ICC trials. "The shortest time of the hearing was two years, and that was an acquittal. The longest was eight to 12 years, but those cases had multiple charges. Duterte has only one charge," he said. Despite the ongoing debates, Carpio added that once Duterte was turned over to the ICC, the legal arguments on his surrender became moot. "As far as the ICC is concerned, the surrender of Duterte is final. They will not inquire how he was brought before the tribunal. They will proceed with the trial, and that's exactly what's happening now," he said.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
(UPDATE) FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte will have trouble defending himself before the International Criminal Court (ICC) because his many public admissions directly implicate him in the extrajudicial killings that marked his bloody war on drugs, former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio said Tuesday.
"He has made multiple public admissions, including statements about ordering extrajudicial killings and taking full responsibility for them. These will all be used in court," Carpio said.
Over the years, Duterte has made numerous remarks acknowledging the deadly crackdown on suspected drug offenders. In some instances, he even boasted about personally pulling the trigger during his tenure as Davao City mayor and later as president. These statements, Carpio said, are invaluable to the prosecution.
"He admitted that he had a death squad. He admitted ordering the killings. He accepted full legal and moral responsibility," Carpio said. "These admissions, caught on record and widely circulated, form the best possible evidence against him."
Carpio also said it was unlikely that the former president would be returning to the Philippines any time soon, as the shortest time for a trial before the ICC was two years, and bail would not be an option.
"Until the case is over, and that is only if he is acquitted. If he's not acquitted, then he cannot come home anymore," the former magistrate said, emphasizing the weight of the ICC's proceedings against Duterte.
While interim release has been granted in past cases, it was only given to those who voluntarily surrendered, he said.
"All those who were involuntarily brought against their will to the ICC were never given any interim relief," Carpio said. "They were not allowed bail. So I think that will apply to former president Duterte."
But Carpio said he expects Duterte's case to proceed relatively quickly compared to other ICC trials.
"The shortest time of the hearing was two years, and that was an acquittal. The longest was eight to 12 years, but those cases had multiple charges. Duterte has only one charge," he said.
Despite the ongoing debates, Carpio added that once Duterte was turned over to the ICC, the legal arguments on his surrender became moot.
"As far as the ICC is concerned, the surrender of Duterte is final. They will not inquire how he was brought before the tribunal. They will proceed with the trial, and that's exactly what's happening now," he said.
