Around 60,000 additional signatures were submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday, calling for a resolution on the habeas corpus petitions filed by the children of former President Rody Duterte.
The latest submission brings the total number of signatures gathered by supporters to approximately 304,000, according to organizers. The signatures, they said, were voluntarily provided and are “verifiable.”
Senator Robin Padilla led the filing of the third batch, arriving at the Supreme Court with a suitcase containing the documents. He was joined by former Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson and a group of supporters who gathered outside the court.
In a statement, Padilla said the group returned to submit the collected signatures of citizens appealing for the High Court to decide on the pending petitions concerning Duterte.
One of the organizers, Duterte supporter Joie Cruz, said the total number of signatures has steadily increased following earlier submissions. Earlier this month, a second batch of around 238,000 signatures was also filed before the court.
Cruz added that the Supreme Court had acknowledged receipt of the submissions.
Duterte remains under the custody of the International Criminal Court, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity in connection with alleged extrajudicial killings during his administration.
The Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling on the habeas corpus petitions.
