DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla answers questions from the media during a Palace press briefing in Manila City on Monday, January 13, 2025. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO/Ryan Leagogo
MANILA, Philippines — A meeting took place between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and his Cabinet members—not to plan the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, but solely to address rumors surrounding it.
This was confirmed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla during the Senate panel on foreign affairs’ hearing held Thursday.
“There was no mastermind. We were discussing mainly about what the [former] President’s statements were in Hong Kong and it was based all on that statement,” said Remulla.
READ: Sen. Marcos: Since when has PH become a province of The Hague?
In a televised interview on March 13, Remulla identified those present during the supposed meeting before Duterte’s actual arrest.
He said it was a “group effort,” and he was with President Marcos, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año.
During the hearing, Remulla said he stands by what he initially disclosed, but clarified that they were “not planning” for the arrest at that time.
READ: Duterte arrest: Marcos Cabinet officials insist they did not aid ICC
“It was a discussion of a rumor based on the [former] president’s statement in Hong Kong,” he emphasized.
On March 10, while he was addressing Overseas Filipino Workers in Hong Kong during a rally, Duterte opened up about an impending arrest to be issued against him based on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.
Remulla’s clarification, however, did not sit well with Sen. Imee Marcos, who was presiding over the hearing as panel chair.
“So, this has nothing to do with it? But the Cabinet secretaries would still gather just for gossip? Don’t they have anything better to do?” said the senator.
“Call it what you may, ma’am,” Remulla retorted.
Members of the Marcos Cabinet vehemently denied coordinating with probers of the ICC to usher in the arrest of Duterte.
Duterte was served an arrest warrant from the ICC upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Hong Kong on March 11.
The arrest warrant was issued on the grounds of alleged crimes against humanity he committed for the anti-drug campaign he orchestrated when he was still in power.