Sen. Marcos flags issues on Duterte's ICC arrest

Senator Imee Marcos stated that the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his subsequent handover to the International Criminal Court (ICC) still have many unresolved issues and inconsistencies.

Marcos highlighted concerns about hidden information, cover-ups, falsehoods, and the need for thorough scrutiny into the events surrounding Duterte's arrest.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, led by Marcos, is conducting an ongoing investigation into the matter.

The Senate panel's preliminary findings identified three key issues, including the absence of an Interpol Red Notice and the Philippine government's cooperation with the ICC in arresting Duterte.

Marcos asserted that the Philippines had no legal obligation to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte and turn him over to the ICC, as only a diffusion notice was received, which was neither verified nor approved by Interpol.

The government also decided to assist the ICC in arresting Duterte even before the diffusion notice was issued.

She cited that the Senate panel's preliminary report noted the absence of verification by Interpol to determine whether the request adhered to its constitution.