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01 October 2025

Trillanes Denies Visiting Duterte At ICC Prison

Conflicting claims over a supposed welfare visit to detained ex-president Rodrigo Duterte highlight deepening political tensions in the Philippines.

On September 30, 2025, former Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes IV found himself at the center of a political storm after denying claims that he had visited former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague. The controversy erupted after Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte, the son of the former president, suggested on Facebook that Trillanes had been sent to check on his father’s welfare inside the ICC prison. Trillanes was quick to respond, dismissing the allegation outright. Speaking to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Trillanes stated, "Not true." He further cemented his denial by posting a photo of himself standing outside the Hague Penitentiary Institution, the very place where Duterte is being held. The caption, written in Filipino, read, "Just relax. Duts (Duterte) is still inside."

The episode has added a new layer of intrigue to the already tense atmosphere surrounding Duterte’s ongoing legal battles. Since his arrest by the ICC on March 12, 2025, the former president has been detained in The Hague, facing three counts of murder for allegedly masterminding a death squad responsible for thousands of killings during his notorious “war on drugs.” These charges, according to ABS-CBN, stem from complaints filed by various parties, including Trillanes himself, who has long been a vocal critic of Duterte’s administration and its human rights record.

Representative Paolo Duterte’s social media post, made on September 27, 2025, implied that Trillanes had been "ordered" to conduct a welfare check on his father. The claim quickly gained traction online, prompting both supporters and critics of the Duterte family to weigh in. Trillanes, however, was adamant in his denial, maintaining that he had not set foot inside the prison facility and that his visit to The Hague was unrelated to any official business with the former president. The photograph he posted, showing him outside the penitentiary, only fueled further speculation about his intentions.

As the debate raged, Vice President Sara Duterte entered the fray, accusing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his administration of endangering the former president’s life by allowing welfare checks to be conducted without the family’s consent. According to Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sara Duterte expressed concern that such visits could compromise her father’s safety and privacy, raising questions about the protocols governing consular and welfare visits for high-profile detainees abroad. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) responded to these concerns by clarifying that the consular visit in question had been carried out by career officials from the Philippine Embassy in a "professional, nonintrusive and respectful manner." Their statement aimed to reassure both the Duterte family and the public that all actions taken were in line with diplomatic norms and the rights of detainees.

The situation became even murkier when Senator Robin Padilla, himself a former inmate of the New Bilibid Prison, called for clarification on the Senate floor regarding the alleged visit. Padilla remarked, "We just want to make it clear because I was imprisoned in Bilibid for a long time, it cannot be that someone whom you don’t want to see will come to visit you." His comment, delivered in Filipino, reflected the skepticism of many who doubted that an unwanted visitor could gain access to a high-security facility like the ICC’s detention center.

Meanwhile, the legal proceedings against Duterte have continued to move forward, albeit not without complications. On September 29, 2025, just days before the most recent controversy, Duterte’s defense team submitted medical reports to the ICC, citing concerns about the former president’s cognitive impairment. According to ABS-CBN, these reports were part of an effort to postpone the confirmation of charges hearing, originally scheduled for September 23, 2025. The defense argued that Duterte’s medical needs should take precedence, and that proceeding with the hearing could jeopardize his health. This maneuver has drawn both sympathy and suspicion, with Duterte’s supporters insisting on the former president’s frailty, while critics question whether the medical claims are a tactic to delay justice.

The backdrop to all of this is the highly charged political environment in the Philippines, where the legacy of Duterte’s presidency remains deeply divisive. The “war on drugs,” launched shortly after Duterte took office in 2016, resulted in thousands of deaths and drew widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations. Trillanes, a former navy officer and senator, was among those who filed complaints against Duterte at the ICC, alleging crimes against humanity. The charges now facing Duterte in The Hague are the culmination of years of legal and political battles, with both sides determined to shape the narrative in their favor.

The episode involving Trillanes’ alleged visit illustrates the extent to which the ICC case has become a focal point for broader political rivalries in the Philippines. Allies of the Duterte family have been quick to cast suspicion on perceived adversaries, while critics of the former president see the legal proceedings as a long-overdue reckoning for abuses committed during his time in office. The involvement of high-profile figures like Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Padilla only underscores the case’s significance for the country’s political future.

At the same time, the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies has come under scrutiny. The DFA’s assurance that consular visits are conducted with professionalism and respect is meant to allay fears of political interference or impropriety, but the competing narratives from various branches of government suggest that the issue is far from settled. For President Marcos Jr. and his administration, striking a balance between upholding the rights of a former head of state and maintaining the integrity of the country’s international commitments is a delicate task—one made more complicated by the intense public interest and media scrutiny surrounding the case.

For many ordinary Filipinos, the spectacle of political leaders trading barbs over the fate of a former president is both familiar and exhausting. The Duterte case has become a lightning rod for debates about accountability, justice, and the rule of law in the Philippines. Whether or not Trillanes actually visited Duterte in The Hague may ultimately be less important than what the controversy reveals about the state of Philippine democracy and the challenges facing its institutions.

As the legal process unfolds, all eyes remain on The Hague, where the ICC’s handling of Duterte’s case will have far-reaching implications—not just for the individuals involved, but for the Philippines’ standing in the international community. For now, the story continues to evolve, with each new development sparking fresh rounds of speculation, accusation, and counter-accusation. One thing is certain: the road to justice, wherever it may lead, is unlikely to be smooth or straightforward.