Imee submits to Ombudsman findings on Duterte arrest

Sen. Imee Marcos on Friday submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman a chairman's report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his being brought to The Hague to be detained and face charges in connection with the killings under his war on drugs.

In a letter to Ombudsman Samuel Martires, committee chairperson Imee said the inquiry “uncovered acts by high-ranking government officials which very likely constitute criminal and administrative offenses" during Duterte’s arrest on March 11 to face the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.

Duterte’s arrest was based on an arrest order issued by the ICC in The Hague. The court sought Interpol’s help in serving the arrest warrant.

“I am respectfully transmitting the Chairman’s Report on the Senate investigation on the arrest of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and his turn-over to the custody of the International Criminal Court," Imee said.

"I am requesting that these officials, all of whom are named in the Report, be investigated, and where appropriate, prosecuted and/or sanctioned in accordance with the applicable laws, rules, and regulations," she added.

“We expect the Ombudsman to proceed with the investigation kasi nga hinaharang ito sa Senado. Nahihirapan kami na kumuha ng testigo,” the senator said.

(This effort is being thwarted in the Senate, we are having a hard time securing witnesses.)

The senator earlier asked the Ombudsman to investigate Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla, Interior Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla, PNP chief Police Gen. Rommel Marbil, CIDG chief Police Gen. Nicolas Torre III, and Special Envoy for Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao for alleged violations of the law during Duterte's arrest.

“I believe the Ombudsman is unbiased, walang takot na parusahan ‘yung karapat-dapat na parushan,” she added.

(The Ombudsman has no fear in holding perpetrators accountable.)

 Boying Remulla, in a reaction, they did what was good for the country.

“Ginawa namin ‘yung dapat gawin [we did what we have to do]. It’s…to our best judgment, what’s good for the country, it’s what we do,” he said. –NB, GMA Integrated News