ON THE eve of a critical International Criminal Court (ICC) ruling, a Japan-based non-governmental organization has called for the immediate release of former President Rodrigo Duterte, claiming his continued detention is a “grave violation” of human rights.
In an open letter dated April 20, the International Career Support Association (ICSA) urged ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane to cease the court’s exercise of jurisdiction over the former leader.
The plea comes just two days before the Court’s scheduled decision on April 22, 2026.
‘Court of Last Resort’
The ICSA, represented by its director for UN Affairs, Shunichi Fujiki, argued that the ICC is overstepping its mandate under the “principle of complementarity” stipulated in the Rome Statute.
“The Republic of the Philippines has a three-tiered court system, and its judiciary is fully functioning today,” the letter stated. “Direct intervention by the ICC is clearly inappropriate and constitutes a violation of said principle.”
The group emphasized that because the Philippine justice system is capable of conducting fair trials, the case should be remanded to the domestic judiciary.
Humanitarian and political concerns
The NGO also raised alarms over the health of the 81-year-old former president, who has reportedly been detained for 13 months without trial.
ICSA described the prolonged pre-trial detention of an elderly individual with serious medical conditions as “entirely unacceptable from a humanitarian standpoint.”
Beyond legal arguments, the ICSA characterized the ICC’s involvement as a “political maneuver” aimed at the Duterte family.
The letter explicitly linked the ICC case to the current political climate in Manila, citing the second impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
“This is a political maneuver aimed at preventing her from running in the 2028 presidential election,” Fujiki claimed in the letter, adding that the ICC is becoming “deeply involved in domestic political disputes.”
Global Standards
The letter cited several international norms, including the Nelson Mandela Rules for the treatment of prisoners and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) , to support its demand for Duterte’s release.
The ICSA confirmed that the letter has been submitted to the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) and shared with major international media outlets to ensure “fairness in the international community.”
As of press time, the Philippine government and the ICC have yet to issue a response to the ICSA’s open letter.
