Palace defends executive privilege during Senate’s Duterte arrest probe

Rodrigo Duterte —SCREEN GRAB
FROM ICC

MANILA, Philippines — There was nothing suspicious about the government witnesses’ invocation of executive privilege during a recent Senate probe into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, a Palace official said on Thursday.

Reacting to Sen. Imee Marcos’ remarks that the repeated invocation of executive privilege and the sub judice rule during the March 20 hearing seemed to be a way of hiding essential facts, Palace Press Officer Clare Castro explained that some sensitive information sometimes need to be withheld for security and other reasons.

“Sana po malaman din po ni Senator Imee Marcos kung ano po bang ibig sabihin ng ‘executive privilege.’ Ito naman po ay—executive privilege po is a constitutional doctrine that allows the president and high-ranking officials, executive officials, to withhold some sensitive information, especially kung ito po ay magkakaroon na po ng encroachment ng isang branch over to another branch,” Castro explained at a Palace briefing.

(I hope Senator Imee Marcos also understands what “executive privilege” means. Executive privilege is a constitutional doctrine that allows the president and high-ranking executive officials to withhold certain sensitive information, especially when one branch is at risk of encroaching on another branch.

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“So, wala po tayong itanatago, may mga pagkakataon lamang po na iyong ibang mga napag-usapan ay hindi dapat isinapupubliko,” she also said.

(So, we are not hiding anything; there are just instances where certain discussions should not be made public.)

Sen. Marcos, who presides over the Senate panel on foreign relations, previously launched a probe into Duterte’s arrest.

During the hearing, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla invoked executive privilege when asked to elaborate on the supposed meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Cabinet members before Duterte’s apprehension.

Duterte was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on March 11 and detained at Villamor Air Base the same day. He has since arrived in The Hague, where he is currently held.

The former president had his pretrial hearing on March 14. His confirmation of charges is scheduled for September 23, and he may appeal for an interim release before that date.