Former President Rodrigo Duterte will spend the holiday season in detention, his lead legal counsel, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, confirmed.
Last month, judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) denied the bid for his interim release.
In an open-court session, the ICC Appeals Chamber unanimously rejected the appeal filed by Duterte’s legal team challenging an earlier pre-trial ruling that refused his request for conditional release to a third country.
Kaufman urged supporters to remain calm and abide by the legal process.
Kaufman said the former president is prepared to stay in detention during the Christmas .
One of Duterte’s children is expected to visit him before Christmas, he added.
Kaufman appealed to Duterte’s supporters to show their solidarity without disrupting ongoing legal proceedings.
“Respect the court, respect the procedures. Show your support for him like you showed it on his birthday,” he said.
Kaufman noted that the former president deeply appreciates the continued outpouring of public support.
Early this month, Vice President Sara Duterte gave a brief update to reporters following a visit to her father describing their conversation as light and mostly centered on politics and family matters.
“Maganda yung usapan namin sa politika, about sa pamilya, pero karamihan sa politics at kung ano yung nangyayari,” she said.
The vice president added a small detail about FPRRD’s drink of choice during their meeting.
“Ngayon, ang ininom niya is Sprite Zero. No sugar kasi diabetic siya,” she said.
When asked if the former president had tried drinking tea, she said there was none served during her visit that day.
However, she clarified that he does drink tea regularly as part of his routine under the supervision of medical personnel and lawyers.
“Pag ano, yung mga medical personnel ang nagha-handle sa binibigay sa kanya, pati ng mga lawyers tsaa lang. At syempre kami,” she said.
