Imee Marcos sees ‘cover-up of irregularities’ in Duterte arrest
Sen. Imee Marcos (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — There seems to be a “cover-up” of “irregularities” committed by Philippine authorities during the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, according to Sen. Imee Marcos.
She made this claim during the Senate committee on foreign relations’ second hearing on Duterte’s arrest on Thursday.
The sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also presented documents seemingly indicating the cooperation between the Philippine government and the International Criminal Court (ICC) in issuing the arrest warrant against Duterte.
READ: Dela Rosa attends hearing on Duterte’s arrest
“There is a famous saying: ‘Hidden truths are unspoken lies.’ A truth that is concealed is still a lie, and it seems that is what’s happening now—with the use of executive privilege and sub judice to hide the truth, it appears as if there is a cover-up taking place,” Sen. Marcos said in Filipino.
She also mentioned the letter dated April that her office received from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin disallowing members of the Cabinet and other officials of the Marcos administration from attending future hearings of her panel and the statement released by Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro the day before saying otherwise.
“There are still many questions that need answers, and countless citizens have sent documents, information, and evidence. This hearing should have been an opportunity for our Cabinet members to explain these matters to the people,” she said in Filipino.
According to Sen. Marcos, a Senate inquiry in aid of legislation is “not covered” by the rule on “sub judice that prohibits the public disclosure of matters being tried in court.”
“Legislative inquiry is important in shaping and strengthening our laws. Finally, I respect the doctrine of executive privilege, but let us remember, it cannot be used as a blanket shield—a general cover to hide the question and avoid the invitation of the Senate,” she added.
Sen. Marcos also said that in the arrest warrant, the ICC prosecutor cited documents from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other departments, such as the drug watchlist maintained by law enforcers, financial and bank records, and forensic evidence.
“I cannot help but wonder. While the administration claimed it did not help the ICC, the prosecutor in his application for the warrant of arrest [for former] President Rodrigo Duterte cited the following document as part of the evidence,” she said.
“It’s difficult to obtain such evidence, even for high-ranking officials like senators. So how did the ICC prosecutor acquire it? Especially when our administration has openly declared that it will not lift a finger to assist the ICC,” she added.
Last March 11, Duterte was served an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity committed during his administration’s drug war.
Duterte is currently in being detained in the Hague Penitentiary Institution in the Netherlands, and attended his pre-trial hearing at the ICC via video call last March 14.
Based on reports, the war on drugs left at least 6,000 people dead. However, human rights groups reported that the number may have reached 20,000.
