MOSCOW, Russia (The Adobo Chronicles, Moscow Bureau) – Soon after the International Criminal Court rejected the Philippine government’s appeal to stop the investigation of Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the former Philippine president asylum in Moscow.

Putin himself has a warrant of arrest issued by the ICC.

Although both Russia and the Philippines are no longer part of the Rome Statute which created the criminal court, Putin told Duterte that he would be much safer in Moscow than in Davao City, Philippines. “You never know if and when the American forces stationed in the Philippines under EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperative Agreement) would cooperate with ICC to arrest and turn you over to the The Hague,” Putin told Duterte.

In return, Duterte also offered the Russian president a safe haven in Davao City should he be in danger of arrest by his detractors in Moscow.