Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte —File photo from Malacañang
MANILA, Philippines — Davao City mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said on Friday that he has “verified information” indicating search warrants were issued on the residence of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family.
However, Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) spokesperson Police Major Catherine Del Rey denied this.
“Hindi po totoo (It’s not true),” Del Rey told INQUIRER.net in a Viber message when asked about the mayor’s claim.
The local chief executive said in a Facebook post: “We have verified information that search warrants have been issued targeting the residence of my father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, along with the homes of my siblings and myself.”
“This blatant act of intrusion into our private spaces raises serious concerns about the intent behind these actions,” he added.
Sebastian also noted that the PRO-11 previously denied this, but he is still not convinced.
“After their inconsistent statements regarding PRRD’s (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) situation, the public has every right to question the truth. What is their next move?” he continued. “This only adds to the growing concerns about harassment and intimidation.”
The local chief executive of Davao said the current situation in the country is akin to Martial Law.
“Given all that is happening, it is evident that the current situation bears similarities to Martial Law, even without an official declaration,” the mayor said.
“Instead of ensuring the protection of the people, power is seemingly being used to silence and intimidate perceived political enemies,” he continued.
Duterte was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City on Tuesday. He then arrived in the Netherlands on Wednesday night (Manila time) and was turned over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) Detention Center in Scheveningen, The Hague.
Duterte will face his pre-trial on Friday afternoon (Friday night Manila time) before ICC.
The mayor said: “If this can be done to a former President of the Republic, what protection is left for ordinary Filipino citizens?”
“This is not just about the attack against my family—it is about every Filipino who values justice and fairness. This is not just a question of legal procedures—it is a grave matter of upholding the integrity of our institutions and safeguarding our nation’s sovereignty,” he continued.
Vice President Sara Duterte is now in the Netherlands to meet with lawyers and seek access to the former president.
READ: Sara Duterte arrives in Amsterdam amid father’s ICC case
Sebastian said: “We are all doing our best to bring PRRD home—to the country he loves and to the people who have always stood by him.”
He was the subject of an arrest warrant by the ICC over crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011 and March 16 2019.
The country was still a party to the Rome Statute which created the ICC accord during this period.
In March 2018, Duterte declared the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute or the treaty which established the criminal court.
But the withdrawal took effect a year after or in March 2019, so the ICC retained jurisdiction over alleged crimes in the Philippines based on the time when the country was still a member.
The war against illegal drugs that took place during Duterte’s presidential term claimed at least 6,000 lives, according to official government data.
Human rights watchdogs and the ICC prosecutor estimated the death toll to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019.
They said several of these incidents were extrajudicial killings.