The legal camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte has formally opposed a request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecution to access his personal belongings and freeze any confiscated money following his arrest and transfer to The Hague last year.
Defense argues cash freeze unnecessary
According to Duterte's defense team, the request to freeze the money is redundant because the funds are already under the custody and control of the ICC Registry. The lawyers argued that no further order is needed to secure the assets. However, if the Trial Chamber III decides to grant the prosecution's motion, the defense asked that the court ensure the value of any confiscated money remains intact and is not diminished.
Privacy concerns over personal items
The defense also strongly objected to allowing the prosecution to access Duterte's confiscated keys and other personal effects. They argued that such access could violate Duterte's right to privacy, as well as the privacy rights of his family members. The camp stressed that the personal items contain sensitive information not relevant to the case.
ICC Registry ready to comply
On the other side, the ICC Registry stated it is prepared to follow any order issued by the Trial Chamber III regarding the handling of the seized property. The Registry has not taken a position on the merits of the prosecution's request but remains neutral and compliant with the court's directives.
The case continues as the Trial Chamber evaluates the arguments from both sides before issuing a ruling on the prosecution's motion.
