Imee: Jet that flew Duterte to The Hague often used by President Marcos

The Gulfstream G550 jet with tail number RP-C5219 which transported former President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague, Netherlands was seen frequently used by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

No less than the president's sister, Senator Imee Marcos, made the statement during the continuation Thursday of the Senate foreign relations committee's investigation into Duterte's arrest.

"Madalas gamitin ang eroplano nito ng ating Pangulo at pinagtatakahan namin kasi napaka-istrikto ng security para sa Pangulo, hindi po ba? At alam natin na mayroon din namang presidential plane ang Air Force kaya ito nga nagiging himala kung bakit iba ang ginagamit at bakit nagamit ulit pagkatapos dinala si [dating] Presidente Duterte, ginamit ulit papunta sa amin sa Laoag?" Imee said.

(This plane is often used by the President. We wonder about this because presidential security is very strict, isn't it? We know that the Air Force has a presidential plane so it's a miracle why the President is using a different aircraft, and why it was used again after transporting former President Duterte to travel to Laoag?)

She presented news clippings where the private Gulfstream jet was being used by the President in his official travels, the most recent of which was on March 28, 2025 going Laoag City and March 30, 2025 going back to Manila.

"Hindi ito 'yung kauna-unahang pagkakataon na ginamit ng Pangulo Bongbong itong eroplanong 'to at hinihiniram nga ito ng… 'Yung iba't ibang paggamit nito—nandyan din sa Davao nag-landing, nag-landing din sa Tawi-Tawi at ang nagbigay ng picture [ng] tactical operations ng Sulu, at andito rin 'yung Puerto Princesa gamit din po sa Palawan," Imee said.

(This isn't the first instance that President Bongbong used this airplane, and being borrowed... It has been used to land in Davao and Tawi-Tawi. Someone gave us a picture of tactical operations in Sulu. It was also used in Puerto Princesa in Palawan.)

According to data from flightradar24.com, the private jet flew to Cauayan, Isabela on March 6 the same day Marcos inspected the collapsed Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge.

GMA News Online has requested comment from Malacañang on the matter, but has yet to respond by posting time.

Imee tried to find out the owner of the private jet during the hearing, but was not able to do so due to the absence of resource persons from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

The presidential sister also questioned how the private jet was tapped to transport Duterte to the Netherlands.

"Sino nga ba ang may-ari nitong aircraft na ito at anong kompanya 'to na nagcha-charter or nagle-lease out at sino ang nag-charter nung March 11? Kasi ang sabi ni Secretary Remulla si Jonvic, siya nagsabi na 'yung private jet was bade for by the Office of the President," she said.

(Who is the owner of this aircraft and which company chartered or leased it out on March 11? According to Secretary Jonvic Remulla, the private jet was bade for by the Office of the President.)

"Nasaan ang bid documents? Alam naman natin…napakahaba kahit ano pang proseso. In my experience, kahit pinakamabilis, it takes several days to complete. Eh biglang sinasabi, they only knew of the warrant of arrest at 3 a.m. of March 11," she noted.

(Where are the bid documents? We all know... the process is very long. In my experience, even with the fastest, [bidding] takes several days to complete. They were saying that they only knew of the warrant of arrest at 3 a.m. of March 11.)

Meanwhile, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Thursday suggested that the Senate foreign relations committee send its findings to US President Donald Trump to freeze the assets of the owner of the Gulfstream G550 that flew Duterte to The Hague. 

“Siguro naman it’s a moral obligation of this committee also to share our findings of this committee to President Donald Trump para kung sinoman ang may ari ng Gulfstream na ito na eroplano, kung may ari-arian ito sa Amerika ay covered sya sa Executive Order na pinirmahan ni President Trump,” the lawmaker said. 

“So kung sinuman ang may ari ng erolano na yan mananagot sya kay President Trump. Sigurado ako kung may gulfstream ka na eroplano, mayroon kang mga ari arian sa Amerika,” he added. 

Dela Rosa advised whoever owns the private jet to “prepare for the repercussions of his actions.” 

“Very clear ‘yan. Executive Order na in-order ni President Trump na mananagot kung sino man ang mag-facilitate ng mga interference ng ICC to their allied countries,” he said. 

In February, Trump imposed economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on International Criminal Court investigations of U.S. citizens or U.S. allies such as Israel

According to a Reuters report, the sanctions include freezing any U.S. assets of those designated and barring them and their families from visiting the United States.

Duterte was flown to The Hague after his arrest and was placed in detention at the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison on March 13 (PH time). He faced the ICC via video link the following day, where the court read to him the charges against him related to the killings under his administration's war on drugs.

The confirmation of charges has been set for September 23, 2025. — VDV, GMA Integrated News