Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and senatorial candidate Gringo Honasan are considering filing a petition before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring former president Rodrigo Duterte back to the Philippines.
Honasan announced that the petition would be launched through a people’s initiative signature campaign, aiming to rally nationwide support.
“This petition aligns with ICC rules that allow public participation in the proceedings,” Honasan stated. “We intend to collect as many signatures as possible and invite other groups to join our cause to return former President Duterte to the Philippines and protect our legal sovereignty.”
Honasan, who served as ICT secretary under Duterte’s administration, met with Mayor Baste in Davao City as part of his 2025 Senate bid. He described Duterte’s ICC arrest as a “slap in the face” of the nation’s legal system.
“It’s humiliating that we’re handing over our own former president to a foreign court when we have functioning laws and courts,” he added.
Rodrigo Duterte was arrested earlier this month and is now in The Hague, facing trial for alleged crimes against humanity related to his drug war policy. His children, including Vice President Sara Duterte and Mayor Baste, have also filed petitions seeking his return.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s legal counsel at the ICC, Nicholas Kaufman, announced plans to request his interim release—a move strongly opposed by victims’ groups.
However, legal experts say it’s unlikely Duterte will be transferred back to the Philippines for trial, given that he is already under ICC custody. Even VP Sara Duterte acknowledged that her father may not return home.