China 'closely monitoring' Duterte's ICC case, warns vs 'politicization, double standards'
China said that it is “closely monitoring” the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for crimes against humanity of murder, and warned the international body not to politicize the issue or engage in double standards.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning (Photo from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China)
“China has noted the news and is closely following how this might develop,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a press conference on Tuesday, March 11.
“I would like to reiterate China’s consistent view that the International Criminal Court should strictly follow the principle of complementarity, exercise its functions and powers prudently in accordance with the law and prevent politicization or double standards,” the official added.
The former president has forged a close relationship with China during his six years in office, but reports that he tried to reach out to the Chinese government to seek political asylum there was squashed by Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Wala, wala. I was there in Hong Kong. Wala siyang kausap from the Chinese government (He was not talking to anyone from the Chinese government),” she said.
In fact, the Vice President shared that her father chose to fly earlier than his 4 p.m. flight to Manila.
“Sabi niya, agahan natin ng 7 a.m. para makabalik na ako sa Pilipinas (He said, let’s make it earlier at 7 a.m. so I can be back to the Philippines). That was willingly surrendering himself to the jurisdiction of Philippine authorities, not the ICC,” she stressed.
The former president was arrested upon his arrival from Hong Kong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 and was transferred to the Villamor Airbase near the airport.
His chartered plane bound to the Netherlands left Manila at 11:03 p.m. last Tuesday and landed in Rotterdam, Netherlands at around 11:56 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 (Manila time).
He is now under the custody of the ICC in The Hague.