By Celeste Tamayo
MANILA – Davao First District Representative Paolo Duterte has filed the third petition for habeas corpus, following similar petitions from his siblings, seeking to bring their father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, back to the Philippines.
On Wednesday afternoon, Paolo filed a petition for habeas corpus, certiorari, and prohibition, with a request for the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or a Writ of Preliminary Injunction.
“The said acts must be annulled, and the Respondents must be ordered to desist from cooperating with the ICC, as these acts are unconstitutional,” the petition states.
The Davao representative argues that his father has been unlawfully arrested, and that the enforcement of the arrest after the Philippines’ withdrawal from the International Criminal Court is “patently unconstitutional.”
Earlier that same day, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and Veronica “Kitty” Duterte each filed separate habeas corpus petitions.
Prior to these filings, former President Duterte and Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa had submitted a petition for certiorari, with a request for the issuance of a TRO and/or a Writ of Preliminary Prohibitory and Mandatory Injunction.
However, the Supreme Court (SC) denied the immediate issuance of the TRO.
“After a virtual deliberation on the 94-page petition, the SC found that the petitioners failed to establish a clear and unmistakable right for the immediate issuance of a TRO,” the Court stated.
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