Sen. Marcos urges charges vs. Remullas, Marbil, Torre, Lacanilao over Duterte arrest
Metro Manila, Philippines - Alleging that the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Marcos administration was politically motivated, Senator Imee Marcos has called for criminal and administrative charges against several Cabinet secretaries, high-ranking police officials, and a special envoy.
Senator Marcos, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, held a press conference on Tuesday, April 29, to release the findings from three hearings on the arrest, detention, and turnover of former President Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) last March.
Among her recommendations is for the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the following officials for possible criminal and administrative violations:
+ Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla
+ Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla
+ Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil
+ PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Chief Maj. Gen. Nicholas Torre
+ Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao
Senator Marcos said Justice Secretary Remulla violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by “sanctioning an invalid arrest” and usurping judicial functions for failing to bring Duterte before any local court. She said this constitutes grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Asked if her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. authorized these actions, Senator Marcos declined to give a definitive answer.
“Hindi ko alam, kasi sa isang banda masasabing alter ego ang bawat miyembro ng gabinete. Sa ibang banda naman, kusang ginawa ni Secretary of Justice,” she said.
[Translation: I don’t know, because on one hand, every Cabinet member can be considered the President’s alter ego. On the other hand, the Secretary of Justice could have acted on his own.]
Central to her findings is a timeline that she claims shows Duterte’s arrest and surrender to the ICC were politically motivated and that there was a “whole of government” effort to cover up or conceal information surrounding the controversy.
Marcos clarified that her findings do not yet constitute an official committee report as Congress is in recess. It is unclear how many other committee members support her conclusions. She said the investigation remains open as many questions are still unanswered.
‘I disagree’
When asked about his sister’s remarks in a chance interview in Cavite, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered a brief response: “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I disagree.”
In a separate interview, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla defended the government's actions, saying they acted based on their best judgment. He also expressed willingness to face legal scrutiny, should a case be filed against him.
“So, welcome development. Hindi naman tayo natatakot diyan (It’s a welcome development. We’re not afraid of that),” he said.
Due process
Meanwhile, Senator Marcos said Interior Secretary Remulla - the justice secretary's brother - should also be held accountable for arbitrary detention and graft. She accused him of inducing Marbil and Torre to illegally detain Duterte, likewise labeling the actions as grave misconduct and prejudicial to the public interest.
In response, Remulla criticized Senator Marcos' alliance with the Duterte family.
“I’m happy that she believes in due process unlike the people she is defending,” he said in a statement, seemingly referring to the Duterte administration’s alleged record of extrajudicial killings.
Senator Marcos further recommended charges against Marbil for arbitrary detention and graft, saying he persuaded Torre “to perform an act in violation of rules, laws, and regulations.” She said his actions also amount to grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the public service.
Torre, she added, should be held liable not only for the alleged arbitrary detention of Duterte but also of former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. Torre had admitted to handcuffing Medialdea for obstructing Duterte’s transfer to the ICC Detention Center in The Hague, the Netherlands.
She also accused Torre of denying visitation rights to Duterte during his temporary detention at Villamor Air Base, where he was held for several hours before boarding a chartered flight on the night of March 11.
Finally, Senator Marcos said Lacanilao usurped official functions by signing documents on behalf of the Philippine government during Duterte’s turnover to the ICC and committed perjury for allegedly lying under oath during the April 10 Senate hearing.
Lacanilao was earlier cited for contempt and detained by the Senate for two days after Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero was unconvinced of his claim of having no personal knowledge of Duterte’s appearance before competent Philippine judicial authorities.
