11 Marcos Cabinet members to attend Duterte arrest probe – Palace
International Criminal Court (L) and former President Rodrigo Duterte (ICC and official Facebook page of Rody Duterte)
MANILA, Philippines — Eleven members of the Marcos Cabinet will be allowed to attend the next Senate hearing on the arrest and turnover of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court, a Palace official said on Monday.
Citing a list from the Office of the Executive Secretary, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a briefing at Malacañang that the following officials have been given the green light to participate in the Senate hearing on April 10:
- Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla
- Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon
- Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin Chan
- Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo
- Philippine Center on Transnational Crime Executive Director Anthony Alcantara
- Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Marbil
- Police Major General Nicolas Torre III
- Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac
- Special envoy on transnational crime Markus Lacanilao
- Securities and Exchange Commission chief counsel RJ Bernal
- Securities and Exchange Commission Atty. Ferdinand Santiago
Castro said the officials may still invoke executive privilege during the Senate foreign relations committee’s hearing on April 10.
READ: Torre, others expected at Duterte arrest inquiry
Last week’s hearing was attended by only three out of 35 resource individuals invited.
During an interview with DZBB on Sunday, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the Cabinet officials who skipped last week’s Senate hearing would attend the next one. He did not disclose the exact number and names of the officials.
Castro said there is no information on whether Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s office has already received a formal invitation from the Senate.
READ: Palace: Cabinet officials shared enough info on Duterte arrest
Last week, Bersamin said Cabinet officials would no longer attend the Senate hearings, citing executive privilege and the sub judice rule.
He also said the officials had already provided sufficient information during the first hearing.
If they (Bersamin and Escudero) indeed spoke, we also gave due respect to his request… provided, of course, that it will not touch on matters covered by executive privilege,” Castro explained in Filipino when asked what made the Palace reconsider the officials’ participation.
