No SC TRO yet prohibiting PH gov’t from cooperating with ICC – lawyer

MANILA, Philippines — No temporary restraining order (TRO) has yet been issued by the Supreme Court, according to the lawyer who filed the petition to prohibit the government from further cooperating with the International Trial Court (ICC).

This came amid reports of a TRO being filed which would effectively prohibit the Philippine government from further cooperating with the ICC, including the enforcement of its arrest warrant against former President Rodrigo Duterte circulated in social media.

READ: Duterte boards chartered flight to The Hague

But according to Davao-based lawyer Israelito Torreon on Tuesday night, he has yet to see an actual copy of the supposed TRO, hence why he went to the Supreme Court for confirmation along with PDP-Laban senatorial candidates lawyer Raul Lambino and actor Philip Salvador.

“I could not confirm to you, but somebody told us that allegedly there is that order that’s why we wanted to confirm,” says Torreon when asked where the reports of a TRO being issued came from.

“Kaya nga siguro sa excitement of the moment akala namin andiyan na talaga,” he added.

(Maybe that’s why in the excitement of the moment we thought it was really there.)

The former president is now en route to The Hague in Netherlands—where the ICC is headquartered—after being arrested on Tuesday morning upon his arrival from Hong Kong due to the alleged crimes against humanity he committed during his administration’s bloody war against drugs.

READ: ICC cites reasonable grounds in issuing arrest order for Duterte

Asked what would happen if a TRO is issued after Duterte’s departure, Torreon responded that it would depend on the pilot and the authorities.

“Depende na ’yan sa piloto, depende na rin ’yan sa pulis kung susundin ang order that’s why we wanted to confirm if a TRO has been issued,” said Torreon.

(It depends on the pilot, it also depends on the police whether the order will be followed, that’s why we wanted to confirm if a TRO has been issued.)

“So we are here hoping a miracle would happen,” he added.

Reiterative motion filed

Meanwhile, as the SC has yet to officially issue a TRO concerning the filed petition, Torreon said their camp has filed a reiterative motion for a TRO to the high court.

According to Torreon, the motion was filed amid recent development that Duterte will be flown soon to The Hague in the Netherlands.

“And all of these hopefully would convince the Supreme Court to act. If not tonight or maybe tomorrow,” said Torreon.

Torreon then accused the government of rushing the process of sending Duterte to The Hague, vowing that as part of the former president’s legal counsel, they will exhaust all legal remedies possible for Duterte.

Duterte’s infamous drug war left at least 6,000 people dead, with human rights groups reporting at least 20,000.