Torre admits preventing VP Sara from visiting Rodrigo Duterte at Villamor

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III said Thursday he denied the request of former President Rodrigo Duterte to allow Vice President Sara Duterte to see him before he was flown to the Netherlands.

During the Senate foreign relations committee hearing on Thursday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano stressed the former president's visiting rights either by immediate family or medical doctor, while he was detained at the Villamor Air Base following his March 11 arrest for crimes against humanity.

Torre, in response, said he told the former president that Sara could only visit him once he is put in a detention cell in The Hague.

"Yes, sir, I did prevent the request… I did deny the request of President Duterte for him to allow VP Sara to enter. Kasi nga naman, mag alas-diyes na nu'n [that was already 10 p.m.], and that's already around 12 hours after we first got him into custody. The VP had all the chances to be with the [former] President earlier that day," Torre told Cayetano.

"We're actually expecting her. Alas-tres pa lang, may information na darating siya. And kung gusto talaga nilang pumasok, puwede naman sir eh," he added.

(We're actually expecting her. As early as 3 p.m., we had information that she would come. And if she really wanted to, she could've entered.)

Torre then had a heated exchange with committee chair Senator Imee Marcos, who questioned the blocking of the Vice President's supposed visit to her father.

"After all that's being said and done, 'yung sasakyan ni Honeylet and four, five other vehicles, nakapasok at sinundo sila sir. Ang eroplano, bukas pa ang pintuan. So 'yan ang isang… tumayo ang balahibo ko nu'ng nakita ko, andiyan ata si VP Sara, si [Senator] Bong Go, nakapasok na. Sinusundo sina Honeylet at Kitty (the former President's second wife and her daughter) ng kanilang mga sasakyan together with the other entourage, bakit hindi sila sumabay sa tarmac, bukas pa naman ang pintuan," the CIDG chief said.

(After all that's being said and done, the vehicle of Honeylet, Kitty, and four, five other vehicles were able to enter the premises. My hair stood up when I saw VP Sara and Bong Go already inside. Honeylet and Kitty were fetched by their vehicle together with the other members of their entourage. The aircraft door, at that time, was still open. Why didn't VP Sara join them?)

Cayetano had cited Section 2(f) of Republic Act 7438, an act defining certain rights of a person arrested, detained or under custodial investigation, which states: "Any person arrested or detained or under custodial investigation shall be allowed visits by or conferences with any member of his immediate family, or any medical doctor or priest or religious minister chosen by him or by any member of his immediate family or by his counsel, or by any national non-governmental organization duly accredited by the Commission on Human Rights of by any international non-governmental organization duly accredited by the Office of the President. The person's "immediate family" shall include his or her spouse, fiancé or fiancée, parent or child, brother or sister, grandparent or grandchild, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece, and guardian or ward."

Aside from the Vice President, Cayetano said Torre also did not allow Rodrigo's personal doctor to visit him while being detained at the Villamor Air Base.

"We have substantial doctors… I think we have complied with [RA] 7438," Torre answered.

On March 11, Veronica "Kitty" Duterte said authorities were not allowing her father to get the medical attention he needed while detained at Villamor. She showed a medical certificate signed by a physician, indicating that the former President consulted for follow-up care for diabetes management, following his arrest.

Those found guilty of violating RA 7438 shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not less than four (4) years nor more than six (6) years, and a fine of four thousand pesos (P4,000.00).

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). — VDV, GMA Integrated News