Former president Rodrigo Duterte must remain detained in The Hague, Netherlands to face the law and be held accountable for the thousands of killings under the guise of his administration’s war on drugs campaign, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said.

In an interview on One News, the former senator and staunch critic of the ex-president belied claims by the Duterte camp that their patriarch is suffering from cognitive impairments.

"Kung gaano kasiga itong taong ito noong presidente siya, kung gaano kabastos ito, tapos ngayon kakaawaan natin? Hindi ganoon (Remember how vulgar and boastful he was when he was president. Then now, we’re going to pity him. It’s not like that),” he said.

“Kapag nagpapatay ka ng libu-libong Pilipino, kailangang magdusa ka. Ganun lang ang hustisya sa mundo (When you ordered the killing of thousands of Filipinos, you suffer. That’s how justice works),” he added.

Trillanes further scoffed at reports that the former president was found unconscious multiple times inside his room at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility, saying it was a strategy to delay the confirmation of charges hearing against him that was scheduled originally last Sept. 23.

The ex-senator questioned the timing of the release of these claims.

“Alam niyo, grabeng magsinungaling itong mga taong ito. Hindi kinikilabutan ito pag magsinungaling. Bakit biglaang lumalabas? In fact, ang mga interview nila after lumalabas sa detention facility, mayroon ba silang sinasabi noon? Wala (You know, these people are really good at lying. They lie shamelessly. Why so sudden? In fact, in their previous interviews, did someone mention it? No),” he said.

“Kailan lang lumabas iyan before nitong Sept 21 rally at Sept 23 confirmation of charges hearing. Ginagawa nilang basehan iyon to delay (It just came out before this Sept. 21 rally and Sept. 23 confirmation of charges hearing. They are using that as a basis to delay),” he added.

Trillanes is also doubtful about Duterte’s deteriorating health, insisting that this is just a strategy to persuade the ICC to grant the defense’s interim release application.

Trillanes called such claims a mere “drama” to gain sympathy from the ICC and the Filipino people; this includes claims that the Duterte family was not informed about the former president’s health conditions.

The former senator pointed out that the 80-year-old Duterte has, in fact, access to his family every day and that he can call them anytime.

He also said that the ICC’s detention facility has its own medical team that can respond to any medical emergency, and that there is a standby ambulance with the hospital mere five minutes away.

In the past, Trillanes explained that the ICC has only granted interim release for accused individuals under a handful of circumstances, such as in cases of terminal illness and medical procedure.

The former president has been detained in The Hague since March this year after he was extradited there on the basis of an ICC warrant of arrest.

He was last seen on March 14 via a teleconference when his identity was confirmed by the ICC’s pre-trial court. Duterte was supposed to attend the confirmation of charges hearing on Sept. 23 but this was postponed due to his defense team’s claim that he was unfit to stand trial.

The camp of the former president is seeking the ICC for an interim release and the adjournment of all legal proceedings against the former leader because of his supposed declining cognitive abilities.

This despite his family saying that he is okay, with Vice President Sara Duterte admitting that she talks to him about politics, corruption, and even his love life.