Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has requested temporary release from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to a third country, citing his old age and pledging not to escape or reoffend, according to his lawyer. Duterte, who was arrested in March and brought to The Hague on murder charges tied to his controversial anti-drug campaign, claims his detention is unlawful. Thousands were reportedly killed during the crackdown on drugs.

His lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, told the ICC's pre-trial chamber that another country had agreed in principle to accept Duterte, though its identity was concealed in the publicly available document. Kaufman emphasized that Duterte poses no flight risk and is unlikely to commit further offenses, noting that he no longer holds presidential power or influence. Duterte, now 80, cited humanitarian grounds for the request.

The filing also mentioned that prosecutors would not object to Duterte’s temporary release, provided certain unspecified conditions are met. The ICC prosecutor’s office has not commented on the matter. However, ICC assistant counsel Kristina Conti, representing victims of Duterte’s drug war, told broadcaster DZMM that her clients have been firmly against any form of interim release.

Duterte came to power in 2016 with a strong anti-drug platform. During his presidency, official data shows 6,200 suspects were killed in drug operations, though rights organizations claim the real number is much higher. Despite his arrest, Duterte still won a mayoral seat in Davao during midterm elections.