Sen Marcos files bill against 'extraordinary rendition'

Senator Imee Marcos has filed Senate Bill No. 557, dubbed the 'President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Act,' which seeks to impose jail time for individuals found guilty of committing 'extraordinary rendition' of persons to a foreign jurisdiction.

The bill aims to prevent abuses like the arrest and transfer of former President Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) without proper due process, defining extraordinary rendition as transferring an individual from Philippine jurisdiction to a foreign one without voluntary consent or court order.

In response, Malacanang expressed support for senators crafting laws relevant to the people's interests but did not explicitly endorse Marcos' bill.

The measure also bans investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting individuals on behalf of foreign courts without a permit from these departments, and if passed into law, violations could result in six to 20 years of imprisonment or a fine of P10 million.

Filipinos subjected to extraordinary rendition will be entitled to remedies in Philippine courts, while the Department of Foreign Affairs will work to repatriate victims back to the Philippines.