Lawyer Vic Rodriguez and former President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: VR Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Senatorial aspirant Vic Rodriguez insists former President Rodrigo Duterte clearly was arrested unlawfully on Tuesday upon the effect of a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his alleged crimes against humanity.
“Yes nakita naman ng sambayanang Pilipino na he was deprived for the proper process for an arrest at nakita naman ‘yan ang daming nag-video andaming nag labas ng balita,” he said in an interview on Friday on sa True Livestream on News5.
Arresting authorities led by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III and Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty also insist that the arrest was lawful and maintained that the former president’s rights were “respected during the service of the warrant.”
Rodriguez, who is among Duterte’s local legal counsels, insisted however that he does not have to counter their statements since the nation saw how the arrest was done.
Legal counsels access to Rody, denied
Rodriguez, who rushed to the Villamor Air Base where Duterte was held, said he, along with other lawyers such as Israelito Torreon, personally experienced being barred access to their client.
Viral videos show Rodriguez pleading to air base guards to grant access at least to the notary lawyer so that Duterte can sign the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed on his behalf.
“He was deprived of his right to be assisted by a counsel at every stage of his arrest,” Rodriguez said.
This was earlier denied by Torre and said the former president had four lawyers present during his arrest. Two of them were his former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea and former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Martin Delgra III, as shown in videos.
Apart from legal counsels, Rodriguez said the former president, who was with his common law wife Honeylet Avancena and youngest daughter Kitty, was also deprived of seeing another family member, his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
The night of his arrest and departure for The Hague, the Vice President was repeatedly quoted to have said in interviews that she was barred from entering the base.
“Even yung kanyang request na makita niya ‘yung isa sa kanyang family member, ang ating pangalawang pangulo ay dineprive rin kay pangulong Duterte,” Rodriguez said.
Rody’s request to be brought to court, denied
In the Malacanang Palace briefing held on Thursday (March 13), Torre said the reason for the delay of Duterte’s boarding to his plane for The Hague was because of his many requests that were all granted.
Rodriguez slammed this and said Duterte’s only request was for him to be brought before a court as part of the rights accorded to an accused. As seen in the videos, the 79-year-old former president was intercepted upon his arrival to Manila from Hong Kong, brought to the Villamor Air Base and flown to The Hague.
“Ang hiniling lamang ni Pangulong Duterte pagkaaresto sa kanya ay dalhin siya agad sa korte. Alam niya ‘yung procedure eh, dating prosecutor ‘yon abugado ‘yun. Nakita naman nating lahat, hindi naman siya nakatapak sa korte,” Rodriguez said.
No arrest booking, no mugshot, no fingerprinting, no immigration procedures
Contrary to Torre’s claim that Duterte was afforded so much special treatment that he was even brought to a presidential lounge, provided an arrest booking kit, Rodriguez stated otherwise.
“Wala ring booking na nangyari, walang mugshot, walang fingerprinting,” Rodriguez said.
“Ang doon sa briefing namin na mga abugado dito sa local, when was this Wednesday, ay napag alaman namin ay hindi rin siya nabigyan ng tamang documentation sa paglabas ng bansa, ‘yung pagdating sa immigration procedures so andaming violations dito,” Rodriguez said.
Until Duterte fled for The Hague, no mugshots and fingerprinting documents or even shots or videos leaked online.
Medialdea, who is still in The Hague, also lamented the process of them having been flown to another country without a valid visa.
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