VICE President Sara Duterte on Monday said the International Criminal Court (ICC) has prohibited members of their family from discussing what’s happening inside the detention facility of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is being held pending the conclusion of his trial for crimes against humanity in relation to the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) brought about by his administration’s war on drugs.
The Vice President, who is in the Hague to visit her father weeks before his confirmation of charges hearing on September 23, said the ICC has reminded her about the rules and conditions to be followed by visitors of detainees.
“So, from now on, bawal ikuwento kung ano ‘yung mga nangyari sa loob at ano ‘yung mga pinag-usapan sa loob (I cannot discuss what’s happening inside and what was discussed),” she said. “I can only say na (that) president Duterte is still alive.”
The younger Duterte said their family has yet to finalize who among them will attend the ICC hearing, adding that they still have to fix their schedules.
The Vice President said some of their other relatives will most likely attend the hearing since she has urged them to see the former president whenever the ICC allows visitors.
The younger Duterte, who is set to meet with the Filipino community in Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan on September 20 and 21, said she is also set to visit the Bicol Region upon her return to the country this month for the celebration of the Peñafrancia Festival.
She said she may meet with Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, the former vice president, when she visits local government officials of the Bicol region.
“We haven’t finished our schedule. But yes, we are hoping to meet the local officials, not just from Naga, but the entire Bicol Region, if our schedule allows us,” she said.
OMBUDSMAN CASE
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said he will ask the Office of the Ombudsman to resolve the complaint filed by Sen. Imee Marcos against him and other government officials in relation to the March 11, 2025 arrest of the former president and his turnover to the ICC.
“I will be filing a motion to resolve as soon as possible,” Remulla told reporters after his interview with the Judicial and Bar Council for the Ombudsman post.
Remulla is among those vying for the Ombudsman post left vacant by the retirement of Samuel Martirez last month after completing his seven-year term.
Marcos, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has filed charges against Remulla, his brother Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, then PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, then PNP-CIDG chief Maj.General Nicolas Torre III, and Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao for the alleged illegal arrest of the former president.
The government officials have said that there was nothing illegal or questionable about their actions, saying that they only did their jobs.
Remulla reiterated that the arrest was made on the basis of Republic Act 9851, or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity.
“That is our job, to keep the country stable, to prevent violence, to prevent the happening of any untoward acts, and I think we were able to peacefully bring him out abroad to face the charges against him without hurting anybody physically. I think that’s the most important thing. It’s the most peaceful way of doing what has to be done,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
He also defended his role in Duterte’s arrest, saying:
“My opinion in this is that… it’s the time when they asked the secretary of (the Department of) Justice what his opinion was, if it’s the right thing to do. And I said it’s the right thing to do, I gave the clearance. That’s it. It has a basis in law, it has a basis in RA 9851,” he said.
Asked if the case filed by Marcos will affect his chance of landing the Ombudsman’s post, Remulla said he answered the JBC questions on the matter as best as he could.
“It’s a question asked of me and I’m most personally affected by it. So I answered it the way I think it is… That I think is right,” he added. – With Ashzel Hachero
