RODRIGO DUTERTE'S ARREST

DOJ's Remulla to meet with other respondents in Ombudsman complaint

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he will meet with the other respondents in the complaint filed against them before the Office of the Ombudsman over the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

"I called them to come over so we can coordinate everything and share the legal foundations by which we stand to defend ourselves," Remulla said in an ambush interview at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

On Tuesday, the Ombudsman ordered Remulla and other government officials to answer the chairman's report submitted by Senator Imee Marcos, who heads the Senate foreign relations committee, over the arrest and transfer of Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The report said the inquiry "uncovered acts by high-ranking government officials which very likely constitute criminal and administrative offenses."

Aside from Remulla, Marcos asked the Ombudsman to probe Interior Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Gen. Rommel Marbil, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Gen. Nicolas Torre III, and Special Envoy for Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao.

Asked if they will file a single counter-affidavit on the complaint, Remulla said this will be discussed as there were "specific allegations."

Meanwhile, the Justice Secretary said there were "other more serious cases" that remain pending before the Ombudsman.

"Hopefully, they'll also give attention to the other cases that are cold cases right now," Remulla said.

"Nakakapagtaka kasi lahat kaming mga abugado alam namin may fact-finding 'yan eh. Hindi basta-basta binibigay 'yan. So there's something more to it than meets the eye," he later added.

(It's puzzling because all of us lawyers know there should be a fact-finding process. It's not just given out like that. So, there's something more to it than meets the eye.)

Duterte was arrested on March 11 in Manila upon his return from Hong Kong. He was then flown to the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, where he is facing charges of crimes against humanity over his administration's drug war.

His confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled on September 23, 2025. — VDV, GMA Integrated News