The Netherlands could potentially host former president Rodrigo Duterte if he is granted interim release, International Criminal Court (ICC)-registered assistant counsel Kristina Conti said.

“The Netherlands, obvious kasi dadaanan siya, it will be a transit country,” the lawyer, who is in The Hague, said in an interview on DZMM, citing the ICC records.

Conti explained that the option for the Netherlands to be the country of interim release—instead of merely being the transit country—is also being studied.

“Ang sabi nila baka naman okay din na dumiretso sa third country o anumang country na yan, pero actually the Netherlands, baka naman pwede nyo rin kupkupin na for the rest of the period of interim release. Kung baga what if muna diyan na lang (They said maybe he can go straight to the third country or whatever country that is, but actually, the Netherlands, maybe you can host him for the rest of the period of interim release. What if he stays there),” she said.

The lawyer pointed out that the defense—from a practical point of view—was merely saying that it would be easier for the former president to be under a house arrest in the Netherlands to reduce travel time when he needs to go back to court.

However, Conti said that the more important consideration is the conditions under which the interim release might be granted.

“Kaya kung sa akin, hindi yung bansa ang importante sa totoo lang kundi ang kondisyones. Ang kondisyones ay, sabi nga ang risk factors (For me, the country is not important but the conditions. The conditions, the risk factors),” she stressed.

The lawyer noted that some of these conditions are that the former president will not commit another crime, that he will not interfere in the process or intimidate witnesses, and that he will face the court when needed.

“The acts, the behavior of the Dutertes, both Duterte himself and his family, everybody around him, will be taken into account. Kaya yung behavior ng kanyang mga kapamilya naging factor dito (That’s why his family’s behavior has been taken into account),” she said.

Meanwhile, the Vice President said in a press conference on Monday, Sept. 29, that she would prefer her father to be in a house arrest in their hometown of Davao City.

“Kung ako, Davao City talaga. Davao City, Philippines, kahit house arrest yan doon (If it’s up to me, it’s really Davao City. House arrest in Davao City, Philippines),” she stressed.

“Kahit na gusto ng ICC na ilibing sa ilalim ng bunker yan, na yung house arrest nya, walang problema sa amin. Gagawin namin yan (Even if the ICC wants to bury him in a bunker under hose arrest, we have no problem. We will do it),” she insisted.

The official confirmed that a country already agreed to host her father for his interim release, but she could not divulge the name of the country.

The prosecution of the ICC has previously and repeatedly opposed Duterte’s bid for interim release, citing, in particular, Vice President Sara Duterte’s suggestion of jailbreaking her father from the detention facility and her questions about the ICC’s jurisdiction.

The elder Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity of murder for the thousands of extrajudicial killings under his administration’s drug war policy.

While he was scheduled to face the pre-trial chamber for a confirmation of charges hearing on Sept. 23, this was postponed by the court because of his defense’s claims that he is unfit to stand trial.