Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Malacañang on Monday belied Sen. Imee Marcos’ allegation that there was a concerted effort to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte in March, saying that the political leanings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s elder sister have been quite apparent for a long time.</p><p>“Hindi na po siguro kataka-taka kung ganyan po ang kanyang magiging panuran, ang kanyang opinyon,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing.</p><p>“Bago pa naman po siguro nag-hearing ay makikita na po natin kung saan ba nagawi ni Senator Imee Marcos,” she said.</p><p>“Pero karagdagan, of course, ang Palasyo dine-deny kung anuman ang kanyang opinyon.”</p><p>Sen. Marcos earlier in the day said the Ombusdman should investigate various government officials for what she believed was the illegal and politically motivated arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. </p><p>Duterte was arrested on March 11 and brought to The Hague in the Netherlands the same day to face charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court due to his war on drugs. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/23/lawyers-spar-on-id-requirements-for-potential-victims-witnesses-at-icc-1947">Lawyers spar on ID requirements for potential victims&#x27; witnesses at ICC</a></div><p>Marcos told local media in a sortie that she would speak in greater detail about this on April 29 when she presents the additional findings of the Committee on Foreign Relations, which she led in an investigation of Duterte&#x27;s arrest.</p><p>She claimed that there is a pattern supposedly showing that the government showed openness to the ICC every time the former leader criticized the government.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s apparent that the final arrest of the former president on March 11 was part of a whole-of-government effort to bring down the Dutertes as early as possible before 2028,&quot; Sen. Marcos said. </p><p>Sen. Marcos launched the Senate investigation in March, after she bolted away from her brother’s Alyansa Para sa Pagbabago senatorial slate and eventually sought the endorsement of Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter.</p><div><a href="https://abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/15/imee-denies-vp-sara-endorsement-a-reward-for-senate-icc-probe-1341">Imee denies VP Sara endorsement a &#x27;reward&#x27; for Senate ICC probe</a></div><p>Senate President Francis Escudero earlier this month called out Sen. Marcos to<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/11/escudero-tells-imee-marcos-don-t-use-duterte-arrest-probe-for-personal-political-objectives-0840"> “refrain from using the Senate as a platform for her own personal political objectives.”</a></p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/16/imee-calls-chiz-ambisyoso-denies-using-senate-for-politics-0812">Imee calls Chiz &#x27;ambisyoso&#x27;, denies using Senate for politics</a></div><p>Sen. Marcos has been lagging behind pre-election surveys, landing only on the 13th to 14th spot — behind some neophyte Senate bets — in the Social Weather Stations’ April 2025 <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/11/go-keeps-top-spot-salvador-bam-marcoleta-enter-probable-winners-list-pulse-1142">survey</a>.</p><div><strong>— With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED  VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W83pPpth9Dg" title="Imee Marcos confronts Nicolas Torre with video of Duterte arrest | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qNFXEi-jGe4" title="Imee Marcos pabirong pinayuhan ni Sara Duterte na magpalit ng apelyido | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oJ4sQiTYo9c" title="&#x27;Apat ang nagplano&#x27;? Imee Marcos, Remulla brothers clash on Duterte arrest | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Malacañang on Monday belied Sen. Imee Marcos’ allegation that there was a concerted effort to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte in March.</p>

Malacañang on Monday belied Sen. Imee Marcos’ allegation that there was a concerted effort to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte in March.

Palace denies Imee Marcos’ claim that admin exerted ‘group effort’ to arrest Duterte

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Palace denies Imee Marcos’ claim that admin exerted ‘group effort’ to arrest Duterte

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 28, 2025 04:56 PM PHT

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Imee Marcos

Duterte arrest

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Claire Castro

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