Lawyer Salvador Medialdea sits in the courtroom prior to the first appearance of his client former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charge of crimes against humanity over his deadly crackdown on narcotics, in The Hague on March 14, 2025. | Photo by Peter Dejong / POOL / AFP
MANILA, Philippines – Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea is receiving medical treatment at a Dutch hospital after he “fell ill” while visiting former president Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center, the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands said Tuesday.
In an update, the embassy said a close relative of Medialdea is at the hospital with him.
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Medialdea went to the ICC detention center early morning on March 18 (Central European Time) for a scheduled visit to Duterte.
He reportedly fell ill while registering at the reception counter at around 8:55 a.m., prompting an embassy official who was accompanying him to call for medical attention.
An ICC detention center medic attended to Medialdea and an ambulance brought him to a “Hague area hospital” where he is currently receiving treatment, the Philippine Embassy said.
Medialdea, one of Duterte’s legal counsels in the ICC trial, was present when the former Philippine leader made his first appearance before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber.
Medialdea accompanied Duterte when the latter was arrested and transported straight from the Philippines to the Netherlands last week. (PNA)