Remulla on bringing Duterte back: Wala na yun, tapos na yun. It’s a done deal already

Justice Secretary Boying Remulla. FILE

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Boying Remulla on Tuesday closed off hopes that former President Rodrigo Dutert could still be extradited to the Philippines after his arrest and now pending trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Wala na ‘yun, tapos na ‘yun. It’s a done deal already,” Remulla said.

“May hearings na ‘yun don eh, continuing na ‘yung hearing. I think there’s judicial notice that the hearing are ongoing already in The Hague, so and there is a setting for September 23 so we rely on that,” Remulla said.

Since Duterte’s arrest on March 11, the former president’s children have all filed petitions seeking Supreme Court intervention to compel the government to take action to bring back their 79-year-old father.

Remulla however shied away from hypothetical answers on what the government would do if the petitions are granted.

“I cannot answer anything speculative at this point,” Remulla said.

The justice secretary simply passed the ball back to the former president who repeatedly expressed willingness to take full responsibility for all the consequences of his war on drugs.

“It’s a done deal, andun na siya eh. Saka sabi niya naman haharapin niya ‘yung charges e. I think that he has repeated that to all of us. Lahat tayong Pilipino narinig natin na sinabi sa atin ni dating Pangulong Duterte na haharapin niya ang kahit na anong paratang sa kanya kahit sa ICC,” Remulla said.

Duterte’s lawyers are pushing the argument that the former president was kidnapped on the basis of supposed multiple procedural errors on the manner of his arrest.

Former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea brought their position before the Pre-trial Chamber hearing last March 14 and even alleged an “unlikely alliance” between the Philippine government and the ICC.

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