Executive officials skipped a Senate foreign relations committee hearing probing the arrest and turnover of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the Netherlands, prompting threats of subpoenas and warnings of a looming constitutional crisis.
Their absence, explained through a letter from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin invoking executive privilege and the sub judice rule, frustrated committee chair Sen. Imee Marcos and led to a motion by Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to subpoena the absentees.
Among those who did not attend were Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, CIDG Chief Nicolas Torre III, and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, among others. Sen. Marcos noted that Año and Secretary Remulla had initially confirmed attendance but later backed out.
Malacañang defended the absences, stating that the Cabinet members had already addressed the relevant questions during a March 20 hearing. Marcos, however, criticized the repeated invocation of executive privilege as a way to avoid transparency.
“I respect executive privilege, but it should not be used as a blanket shield,” she said. “Hidden truths are unspoken lies.”
Dela Rosa accused the executive branch of a "total snub" and warned that the failure to cooperate with the Senate could trigger a constitutional crisis by undermining the legislative branch’s oversight role.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro countered that Supreme Court rulings uphold executive privilege, and said Dela Rosa missed his chance to question Cabinet officials during the previous hearing.
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Bersamin explained that the topics of the hearing—particularly those touching on state secrets, presidential communications, and matters still under court consideration—justified the decision to skip the session.
Senate President Francis Escudero said he had not yet signed off on the subpoena requests, citing the need for legal review to avoid exacerbating the situation. While acknowledging the legitimacy of executive privilege, he contested the administration’s use of the sub judice rule in this context.
Sen. Marcos also revealed that four International Criminal Court staff members visited the Philippines in 2024 to gather evidence for its ongoing probe into Duterte’s war on drugs—contradicting government claims of non-cooperation.
She presented documentation showing the ICC personnel's travel and roles: interpreter Maya Destura Brackeen, protection experts William Rosato and Amir Kassam, and investigator Glenn Roderick Kala. The team reportedly requested protection and transport from Philippine authorities during their visit.
Marcos argued that this contradicts the administration’s public position and called attention to the ICC’s intent to interview key police officers and gather hospital and congressional records tied to extrajudicial killings and drug war rewards.
During the hearing, questions also arose about the use of a Gulfstream G550 jet that flew Duterte to The Hague. Sen. Marcos disclosed that the same jet—with tail number RPC5219—was previously used by her brother, President Marcos Jr., for various trips, including visits to Isabela, Palawan, and Sulu.
The Office of the President confirmed that it paid for Duterte’s flight to the Netherlands using the jet, further linking state resources to Duterte's controversial turnover.
Sen. Marcos presented Flightradar24 data and social media posts to support her claims, suggesting transparency was necessary on who authorized the travel and jet usage.
“If the administration really didn’t cooperate with the ICC, why did their personnel get assistance? Why was Duterte allowed to fly on an official jet?” she asked.
Photo Courtesy: ABS-CBN News
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews