Malacañang on Friday expressed gratitude to the Senate for conducting a hearing on the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, saying it helped clarify legal matters for the public.
“Unang-una po, nagpapasalamat po tayo na nagkaroon po ng Senate hearing patungkol dito. Mas naliwanagan ang taumbayan kung ano ba ang nangyari,” said Palace Press Officer and PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro during a press briefing.
The hearing, led by Senator Imee Marcos, aimed to explain the roles of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Interpol, and Philippine authorities in the arrest. It also examined whether Duterte’s legal rights under domestic and international law were upheld.
When asked who gave the order to carry out the arrest, Castro said, “Kung sinuman po ang nag-utos, wala po tayong personal knowledge diyan… Kung naganap na po ang dapat na naganap, yan po ay naaayon po sa batas.”
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, denied allegations that he was part of a “core group” behind the arrest.
“I had no part in the execution of the ICC warrant… The events of March 11 were spontaneous. As National Security Adviser, I was merely doing my job,” Año said, stressing that his concern was only to assess the situation and ensure national security was not compromised.
He added that he only learned about the Interpol red notice and ICC warrant implementation on the morning of March 11, and confirmed Duterte’s movements were public knowledge.
Duterte is facing charges at the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s drug war from November 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019, spanning his time as Davao City mayor and Philippine president.
He arrived at the ICC Detention Center in The Hague on March 12. The next hearing to confirm the charges is scheduled for September 23.