President Ferdiand Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte, September 16, 2020. King Rodriguez, Presidential Photo/File

MARCOS-DUTERTE

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174219760993420230802-marcos-duterte-PNA1032.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte, September 16, 2020. King Rodriguez, Presidential Photo/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — &quot;Utang na loob&quot; or debt of gratitude should not outweigh the government&#x27;s mandate to uphold the rule of law, Malacañang said Monday.</p><p>This comes after Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over the weekend for the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.</p><p>Marcos authorized Duterte&#x27;s arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court, Mayor Duterte said, even after the 79-year-old former leader allowed the burial of the president&#x27;s father and namesake Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani during his term.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/solicitor-general-refuses-to-file-comment-in-behalf-of-gov-t-on-duterte-arrest-1507">SolGen declines to represent Philippine officials questioned on Duterte arrest</a></div><p>In a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that Marcos Jr. was grateful to his predecessor for what he had done for his father.</p><p>But she said it did not mean that he would no longer uphold the law or abide by the country&#x27;s commitments with the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol, which had served the warrant for the arrest of the elder Duterte.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/imee-marcos-to-launch-senate-probe-into-duterte-arrest-1118">Imee Marcos to launch Senate probe into Duterte arrest</a></div><p>&quot;Hindi po dapat mahinto ng utang na loob ang pagpapatupad ng batas. Hindi po dapat traydorin, katulad ng aking sinabi, ang pagpapatupad ng batas,&quot; Castro said, noting that the Marcos Jr. has repeatedly expressed his gratitude to former President Duterte.</p><p>&quot;Hindi po dapat na dahil lang kaibigan o dahil naging kasama ay hindi na po tutuparin ang batas at tatraydorin na po ang Konstitusyon dahil lamang sa utang na loob.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PALACE ADDRESSES &#x27;FAKE NEWS&#x27; SURROUNDING DUTERTE&#x27;S ARREST</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Castro urged Duterte&#x27;s supporters to remain calm and to seek out the truth regarding his arrest, saying that Marcos Jr. was concerned regarding the situation in Davao.</p><p>Thousands of Duterte supporters mounted several public demonstrations in support of the ex-leader, particularly in the Dutertes&#x27; bailiwick of Davao City.</p><p>Castro denied false reports that claimed that the Dutertes&#x27; homes would be raided by the police.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/dela-rosa-to-turn-in-himself-when-senate-protection-ends-over-possible-icc-warrant-1112">Dela Rosa says to turn himself in when Senate protection from possible ICC arrest ends</a></div><p>&quot;Hindi po ba nagkaroon ng pagsasabi itong si Mayor Baste na iri-raid iyong kanilang bahay – again, ito po ay walang katotohanan. Tinanong po natin si General [Nicolas] Torre patungkol diyan kung mayroon pong operasyon ng pag-raid sa bahay – kasi iyon po iyong sinasabi nila palagi,&quot; she said. </p><p>&quot;Can we consider this as fake news? Can be. Uunahin ba natin silang idemanda dahil nagpakalat ng ganito? Pag-aaralan pero noong sinabi po ni General Torre na walang ganoong operasyon, hindi po ba ang isinagawa nilang pagsasabi na may pagri-raid ay nakagulo sa isipan ng mga taga-Davao City,&quot; Castro continued. </p><p>&quot;Sana po iyong mga kababayan po natin lahat po tayo dito ay Pilipino magmasid lang po muna tayo – iyon lang po ang tanging hiling natin, okay.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/3/16/baste-duterte-we-will-stand-up-and-fight-back-1624">Baste Duterte: &#x27;We will stand up and fight back&#x27;</a></div><p>She said the government was intensifying efforts to combat misinformation or &quot;fake news&quot; on social media following the ICC arrest of Duterte.</p><p>News outlets in the Philippines are scrambling to debunk the barrage of falsehoods spread on social media related to the former president&#x27;s arrest and detention.</p><p>&quot;We had this live discussion with the concerned authorities to answer all those issues that had been raised by some people from the mainstream and also from the social media,&quot; Castro said. </p><p>&quot;So, with this kind of projects that we have with the PCO [Presidential Communications Office], like the press briefing and the live discussion, I think people will have this chance to know what is fake news and what is not.&quot;</p><p>Castro said that they were also coordinating with government agencies to address the problem of fake news, as she noted that even former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea claimed last week that ex-President Duterte was missing shortly after his arrival at the ICC Detention Center, a claim that had since been debunked by the International Criminal Court.</p><p>Castro said the Palace was still studying whether it would file charges against fake news peddlers.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DUTERTE&#x27;S HEALTH</strong></div><div><strong><br/></strong></div><p>The Palace also dismissed claims that the President was not being given appropriate medical attention.</p><p> &quot;Iyan po ay kaniyang opinyon lamang, ni Senator Bong Go. Unang-una, wala po siya doon sa lugar. At nadinig po mismo natin sa ICC, kay Judge Motoc, na ang Pangulo po, ang dating Pangulo po, ayon sa mga doktor na tumingin sa kaniya ay nasa magandang kundisyon po – mentally aware, mentally fit – at patuloy po rin na tsinitsek ang kaniyang kundisyon,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>&quot;So, kung mayroon pong mga ganitong klaseng haka-haka, muli, katulad ng sinabi ni Senator Bong Go, dapat siguro ay kaniya munang alamin ang katotohanan dito,&quot; she said, noting that there are doctors assigned to look over the health of the former president.</p><p>&quot;Pero kung mayroon pong hihilingin, of course, ang dating Pangulong Duterte, maliban po sa kaniya, kahit po iyong mga victims ng EJK, sila rin po ay bibigyan po ng kaukulang tulong kung kakayanin po ito, at kung ito naman po ay hindi po lalabag ng anumang  batas natin.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CASES VS DUTERTE ALLIES?</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Castro warned that while the President does not mind criticism made by Duterte supporters following the arrest, she said the government would not hesitate to file complaints against Duterte allies for allegedly inciting the public to commit sedition against the government.</p><p>&quot;As we can say, the President is not onion-skinned, okay. Usually po, hindi po siya nadadala ng ganiyan pero kapag po nandoon na po iyong elemento ng inciting to sedition which is of course without any tumultuous uprising but they are encouraging people to sow hatred to the government, to the President then we have to step up… By filing cases, complaints. But as of the moment, there is no indication on the part of the President that he will do that,&quot; she said.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;BRING HOME ROQUE&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, Castro urged Duterte supporters to also call for the return of former Palace spokesperson Harry Roque to the Philippines. </p><p>This, after the ex-Palace official surfaced at The Hague in the Netherlands to support former President Duterte following months of hiding from Philippine authorities.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/12/mayor-baste-files-petition-for-release-of-dad-rodrigo-duterte-1439">Mayor Baste files petition for release of dad Rodrigo Duterte</a></div><p>&quot;Actually, I cannot speak on behalf of the Quad Comm, on behalf of the House of Representatives, because it’s the arrest warrant ng House ang hindi napapatupad dahil sa pagtatago ni Atty. Harry Roque,&quot; Castro said when asked for comment on Roque’s reappearance.</p><p>&quot;Pero mas maganda po siguro na i-challenge po talaga natin siya na siya po iyong umuwi, kasi ‘di ba, bring home FP (former President) Duterte. So, siguro mas magandang isigaw rin po ng mga tao, &#x27;bring home Roque.&#x27;&quot;</p><p>Roque has a pending warrant of arrest by the House of Representatives after he was cited in contempt for skipping a House inquiry into Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/14/sara-duterte-harry-roque-robin-padilla-arrive-at-icc-1731">VP Sara, Harry Roque, Robin Padilla arrive at ICC for Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VUeLUmXYgYg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>"Utang na loob" or debt of gratitude should not outweigh the government's mandate to uphold the rule of law, Malacañang said Monday.</p>

"Utang na loob" or debt of gratitude should not outweigh the government's mandate to uphold the rule of law, Malacañang said Monday.

Palace: Rule of law comes first, not 'utang na loob' to Duterte over Marcos Sr. burial | ABS-CBN

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Palace: Rule of law comes first, not 'utang na loob' to Duterte over Marcos Sr. burial

Palace: Rule of law comes first, not 'utang na loob' to Duterte over Marcos Sr. burial

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 17, 2025 03:47 PM PHT

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