By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA Integrated News
Malacañang on Monday said it is no longer surprised with the statement of Senator Imee Marcos that there was supposedly a ''group effort'' from the administration to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte.
''Hindi na po siguro kataka-taka kung ganiyan po ang kaniyang magiging panuran, ang kaniyang opinion. Bago pa naman po siguro nag-hearing ay makikita na po natin kung saan ba ang gawi ni Senator Imee Marcos,''Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing.
(Her opinion was not surprising. Even before the hearing, we already knew where she is headed.)
''Pero karagdagan: Of course, ang Palasyo dini-deny kung anuman ang kaniyang opinyon (In addition to that, of course the Palace denies her opinion),'' she added.
In a statement, the camp of Imee, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr,'s elder sister, said that on Tuesday, April 29, she will formally disclose her findings on the arrest of the former chief executive.
Imee has maintained that the arrest was illegal.
''Sa isang panayam, inilahad ni Senator Marcos ang isang masusing talaan ng mga pangyayari mula Mayo 2024 — nang inilabas ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan (DOJ) ang legal na ulat hinggil sa posibilidad ng pag-aresto — hanggang Marso 11, 2025, kung kailan minadali ang pagdakip at paglipat kay Duterte patungo sa The Hague,'' her camp said.
(In an interview, Senator Imee Marcos disclosed what happened from May 2024, when the DOJ released the report on the possible arrest, to March 11, 2025 when Duterte was arrested and immediately flown to The Hague.)
''Sinabi rin ni Marcos na ang takbo ng mga pangyayari ay nagpapakita ng planadong hakbang ng administrasyon para pabagsakin ang mga Duterte,'' it added.
(Marcos also said that the flow of what happened indicated the plan of the administration to bring down the Dutertes.)
Imee earlier released preliminary findings of the Senate inquiry, and stated that the arrest of Duterte on March 11, based on the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), violated the rights of the former president.
The Palace and opposition figures, however, both defended the arrest as an enforcement of the law, with the President saying that the Philippines only honored its commitment with the Interpol.
The government also cited Section 17 of Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law states that: ''In the interest of justice, the relevant Philippine authorities may dispense with the investigation or prosecution of a crime punishable under this Act if another court or international tribunal is already conducting the investigation or undertaking the prosecution of such crime. Instead, the authorities may surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to the appropriate international court, if any, or to another State pursuant to the applicable extradition laws and treaties.
Duterte was flown to The Hague after his arrest and was placed in detention at the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison on March 13 (PH time).
He faced the ICC via video link the following day, where the court read to him the charges against him related to the killings under his administration's war on drugs.
The confirmation of charges has been set for September 23, 2025. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
