Manila, Philippines – Former Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo and his son, Atty. Salvador Paolo Panelo, Jr., arrived at the Supreme Court on Wednesday to file a habeas corpus petition seeking the return of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippines.
The petition was filed on behalf of Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, the former president’s daughter, following his recent arrest and transport to The Hague, Netherlands, after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest on alleged crimes against humanity.
Habeas corpus is a legal remedy used to challenge unlawful detention. The petition argues that Duterte’s arrest and removal from the country were unjust and seeks a Supreme Court order compelling authorities to bring him back.
The case comes amid growing legal and political tensions surrounding the ICC’s investigation into Duterte’s controversial war on drugs. His legal team has consistently maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines, as the country withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019.
The Supreme Court has yet to issue a statement on the petition, and further legal proceedings are expected in the coming days.