The Makabayan Bloc on Thursday strongly condemned the Senate’s recent resolution urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to place former President Rodrigo Duterte under house arrest, calling it a political maneuver that undermines justice for thousands of victims of the government’s anti-drug campaign.
‘The Senate resolution is not about mercy or rights, but a clear cover-up of Duterte’s crimes. It is an affront to justice for the families of the victims of his drug war,’ said ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio.
Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co underscored the political nature of the resolution. ‘This is nothing more than a political maneuver designed to protect Duterte and his cohorts from facing the full weight of international justice. The Senate is more concerned with protecting a former president than delivering justice to thousands of victims of state-sponsored killings.’
Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago echoed the criticism, calling the resolution ‘an insult to the families who lost loved ones in Duterte’s ruthless drug war. It is not about compassion but about perpetuating impunity.’
The bloc highlighted the irony that one of the resolution’s sponsors, Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, was named as a potential co-perpetrator in the ICC document detailing three counts of murder against Duterte.
‘How can someone implicated in these crimes pass a resolution that benefits him and his former boss? This just proves that the Dutertes remain highly influential in the Philippines, and justice cannot be achieved if trials are conducted here,’ Tinio added.
The Makabayan Bloc also rejected the Senate’s humanitarian claims, noting the double standard.
‘There are numerous elderly and sick political prisoners today, yet none have been granted any Senate resolution because they lack wealth or influence. This shows a glaring imbalance and hypocrisy,’ said Elago.
‘Justice demands that Duterte face trial for his crimes. House arrest is nothing but a mockery of the legal process and an insult to the families who continue to seek accountability,’ Co stressed.
The bloc urged the ICC to proceed with prosecution without compromise, reaffirming its solidarity with families of drug war victims and commitment to genuine justice.
Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte on Thursday filed before the Supreme Court a disbarment case against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and three other ranking government officials who were involved in the not connection with the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and subsequent turn-over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands last March.
Aside from Remulla, Duterte, through his lawyer Israelito Torreon, sought the disbarment of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, and Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon.
Torreon, however, did not provide more details citing the confidentiality nature of disbarment proceedings.
He, however, admitted that the case was filed in relation to the arrest of the former president.
‘As to the content and the specifics, I think you know that I could not expound on the same but this is related to the kidnapping and expulsion of former president Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague, Netherlands,’ Torreon told reporters.
Last September 15, the younger Duterte filed a criminal complaint against Remulla and several other government officials also in connection with his father’s arrest.
The disbarment complaint alleges the officials’ alleged role in the handover of the former president to the ICC, where Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity linked to his bloody anti-drug campaign.
Voting 15 affirmative with 3 negative and 2 abstentions, the Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution asking the International Criminal Court (ICC) to consider allowing former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to be placed on house arrest for humanitarian reasons.
Senate Resolution 144, initiated by Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano-Duterte’s vice presidential running mate in the 2016 elections-came days after Duterte’s daughter Sara claimed that he was ‘found unconscious’ in his detention cell in The Hague.
All nine minority senators voted in the affirmative for SR 144.
The negative votes were cast by Senators Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Raffy Tulfo abstained.
Explaining his vote, Sotto said, ‘I am faced with two difficult’ choices that both align with his principles: affording the former president a comfortable surroundings, while taking into consideration the plight of families seeking justice for crimes against humanity-the charge in the ICC against Duterte, for his dirty war on drugs that reportedly killed thousands without due process.
While he described himself as ‘supportive’ of any efforts to afford the former president – whom his family and lawyer claims suffers a host of medical issues, Sotto worried that ‘my choice’ in the vote on SR 144 might even further divide the nation. Hence, his abstention.
Explaining her negative vote, Hontiveros said that while the senators push for an interim release has been couched in humanitarian terms, its flipside is that it further signals the selective justice system in the country, where other suspects who have not been adjudged guilty are detained for years, despite health issues.
Hontiveros added that the resolution was premature because it was not based on facts, as there is no showing that the ICC has been remiss in caring for Duterte in detention.
Despite Vice President Sara Duterte’s claims about the ‘found unconscious’ and related circumstances, other video reports had other family members who visited the former President as saying ‘he is well, even jolly,’ at kaya pa ngang makipag-usap tungkol sa maraming topic kasama ang politika, flood control at love life [and can even discuss many topics including politics, flood control and love life],’ Hontiveros added.
Besides Alan Cayetano, those who voted for the resolution are Senators Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence Go, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Rodante Marcoleta, Erwin Tulfo, Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, Mark Villar, Panfilo Lacson and Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.