Not missing: Duterte tells Philippine embassy he is 'generally fine' after health check-up

March 14, 2025 | 12:09pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in The Hague confirmed early Friday, March 14, that former President Rodrigo Duterte has reached out to them to share that he is "generally fine" and has received medical care while in the custody of the International Criminal Court. 

According to the embassy's statement released Friday, Duterte requested to speak with a consular officer on Thursday afternoon, March 13. During this communication, the former president "conveyed, among others, that he underwent medical check-up and has received medical care and that he is generally fine."

This confirmation comes after former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told a crowd of Filipinos in The Hague, Netherlands that the ICC had not disclosed Duterte's whereabouts to him. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Medialdea had claimed he requested a visit but was told there was "no Duterte inside the facility. Posts falsely claiming Duterte has gone missing have since circulated on social media, several of which quote Medialdea's remarks. 

The embassy statement, however, noted that "the former President called and talked to former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, one of his Legal Counsels" on March 13. 

According to the embassy, Duterte has also requested a visit from embassy consular officials and asked for assistance in arranging visits from his legal counsel — Medialdea — and an unnamed family member. The embassy confirmed it has forwarded these requests to the ICC Registry.

"(The) Embassy made such request to the Registry of the ICC to facilitate a Consular Visit to the former President as soon as possible," the embassy said, adding that it "made a follow-up on the request for a visit by his legal counsel and his family member."

The former president was arrested Tuesday on an ICC warrant for crimes against humanity related to his brutal anti-drug campaign. The ICC prosecutor alleges Duterte is "criminally responsible for the crime against humanity of murder" committed between November 2011 and March 2019, both as mayor of Davao City and later as president.

There was a 12-hour standoff at the Villamor Airbase before Duterte was transferred to The Hague. During this confrontation with the police, Duterte reportedly threatened legal action, refused fingerprinting, and told law enforcers "you have to kill me to bring me to The Hague." 

Disinformation. Despite Medialdea's repeated claims that Duterte was forcibly taken against his will, government officials including the Department of Justice have clarified that the arrest had legal basis.

Justice Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said that the apprehension of the former president strictly adhered to domestic and international legal procedures. He said the arrest was carried out by Filipino law enforcement agents as “a matter of comity and mutual cooperation in the international community.”

The justice spokesperson also cited Section 17 of Republic Act 9851, or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, stating that “the Philippines may surrender suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to the appropriate international court for crimes punished by the said law, including crimes against humanity.”

The former president is set to have his initial appearance before the court's Pre-Trial Chamber I Friday night (Philippine time) where he will be read his rights and the alleged crime he has committed.

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