DOJ asks SC to deny Duterte siblings' release petition

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to deny petitions filed by Duterte siblings seeking the release and return of their father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a consolidated compliance filed on March 17, the DOJ argued that the petition is moot since officials no longer have legal or physical custody of the former president who is detained in The Hague, Netherlands.

The DOJ also stated that an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte falls under Section 17 of a Philippine Act which allows dispensing with investigation or prosecution if another court or international tribunal is conducting it.

Furthermore, the DOJ argued that cooperation given to Interpol in serving the warrant pertains to the president's authority over foreign relations and thus falls outside judicial review as a 'political question'.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla previously stated and reiterated that Duterte’s return to the Philippines is unlikely due to his current location and legal situation in The Hague.