Daven Tamayo

Marcos says Duterte arrest part of PH’s obligation to Interpol

Article (news)

Carmelle Lacuata

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) -- “This is what the international community expects of us.”President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Tuesday defended the Philippine government’s role in the arrest of former President Duterte, saying that the arrest was made in compliance with the country’s commitments with the Interpol.Marcos Jr. spoke for the first time about the arrest of his predecessor during a late night press conference in Malacanang, shortly after the plane carrying Duterte took off for The Hague in the Netherlands to face charges of crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court.“Interpol asked for help and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill. If we don&#x27;t do that, they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad,” Marcos Jr said. “Hindi natin mahindian ang Interpol kapag sinabi sa atin na “tulungan nyo kami kailangan namin kunin itong taong ito.” Dahil kung maalala ninyo lahat ng mga tumakas dito sa Pilipinas, gaya ni Alice Guo, gaya ni Arnie Teves, kung sino-sino pa gaya ng mga human trafficking victims in Myanmar, sino ang tumulong sa atin para makita ang mga kababayan na inaapi at ginagamit sa masamang paraan? Ang Interpol.”Marcos Jr. said that he received a copy of the ICC warrant of arrest early morning Tuesday from DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla and ordered the official to proceed with the arrest.“This came in -- actually, it came in -- I received it from  -- from Secretary Remulla. I received it at 3 a.m. last night. And we -- I looked at it and we went back and forth, 6:30, he wrote me again and he said, “We have it already. We have the warrant of arrest from the Interpol,”” Marcos Jr narrated. “And I said, “Okay, we’ll put all our plans into place and sige, let’s proceed as we had discussed.” That’s what happened.So, yes, there is a very clear document that will explain when the -- how on the -- sorry, that will explain the basis on how we conducted this arrest  of former President Duterte.”<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/-blatant-affront-to-our-sovereignty-sara-duterte-decries-father-s-arrest-1935">&#x27;Blatant affront to our sovereignty&#x27;: Sara Duterte decries father&#x27;s arrest</a></div>The President insisted that Philippine authorities followed all the legal procedures necessary in serving the arrest warrant to Duterte, expressing confidence that a further examination of the arrest would prove that the arrest was “proper and correct.”He also denied that the arrest violates the country’s sovereignty as alleged by the Duterte camp.“No. Bakit naman? Dahil consistent naman tayo na hindi tayo tumutulong sa imbestigasyon ng ICC,” he said.“Meron tayong contact sa kanila, natural, but not on an official level, we did not help them in anyway. The arrest that we did today was in compliance with our commitments to Interpol. It just so happens that that came from the ICC. But it’s not because it came from ICC, it’s because it came from Interpol.”According to Marcos Jr., the arrest of Duterte was not a form of political persecution, pointing out the case was filed in 2017 during the previous administration.“So I don’t see how that can be political persecution on my part because it was initiated before I even came into the picture,” he said.“2017 pa ito wala pa ako, civilian pa ako noon. So this is the evolution of his case and this is where we end up.” The Philippine leader also addressed the supporters of former President Duterte, saying that the government was just fulfilling its responsibilities as a member of the community of nations.The former president was arrested by police officers on Tuesday morning acting on a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his war on drugs, shortly after he arrived in the Philippines from Hong Kong. Duterte, 79, faces a charge of &quot;the crime against humanity of murder&quot;, according to the ICC, for the crackdown in which rights groups estimate tens of thousands of mostly poor men were killed by officers and vigilantes, often without proof they were linked to drugs.The Gulfstream G550 bringing him to the Hague, where he will face trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC), took off at 11:03 p.m. from Villamor Air Base on Tuesday. ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah said after Duterte arrives in The Hague, and is in ICC custody, &quot;an initial appearance hearing will be scheduled. Further information will be communicated in due course.&quot; - with a report from Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/dozens-of-cops-at-naia-ahead-of-rodrigo-duterte-s-expected-arrival-0951">Ex-President Duterte arrested on ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/duterte-seen-boarding-passenger-jet-at-villamor-air-base-2121">Gulfstream jet carrying Duterte leaves Villamor for The Hague</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/war-on-drugs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">War on Drugs, The Unheard Voices | ABS-CBN News</a></div>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the Philippine government’s cooperation with the Interpol, which led to the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is part of the country’s obligation to the international community.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the Philippine government’s cooperation with the Interpol, which led to the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is part of the country’s obligation to the international community.