Duterte's lawyer questions legality of Dubai layover

Former President Rodrigo Duterte's lawyer, Salvador Medialdea, questioned the legality of Duterte's layover in Dubai before arriving in The Hague for his International Criminal Court (ICC) hearing. Medialdea noted that the UAE is not a party to the Rome Statute. Duterte's chartered flight from Manila included a five-hour stop in Dubai. Medialdea argued this layover could be seen as a misuse of legal process, urging the court to clarify the situation. Duterte was arrested in the Netherlands under an ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity during his presidency. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the case began in 2017, before his administration, and is not politically motivated.