MANILA, Philippines – Eleven members of the Marcos Cabinet are now allowed by the Malacañang Palace to attend the Senate probe on the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, an official said Monday. 

Citing a list from the Office of the Executive Secretary, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro disclosed the following names that have been permitted to participate in the third hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 10: 

• Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla
• Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon
• Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin Chan
• Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo
• Philippine Center on Transnational Crime Executive Director Anthony Alcantara
• Gen. Rommel Marbil, Philippine National Police chief 
• Police Major General Nicolas Torre III
• Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac
• Special envoy on transnational crime Markus Lacanilao
• Securities and Exchange Commission chief counsel RJ Bernal
• Securities and Exchange Commission Atty. Ferdinand Santiago

Castro clarified that the officials may still invoke their executive privilege during the meeting. 

The following officials were a no-show in the second hearing held last April 1. The empty seats left committee chair Sen. Imee Marcos in dismay as new information and a whole new round of questions presented were left unanswered. 

Only three out of 35 resource persons invited were present in the hearing. 

“‘Pag di sumipot, ang duda ng tao may tinatago,” Marcos said in a chance interview. 

During the first hearing last March 20, Marcos grilled the officials involved in the arrest of the former president citing supposed numerous violations of Duterte’s constitutional rights. It was notable in the first hearing that officials foundered with conflicting answers on the details of the arrest.

The preliminary investigation concluded three findings: 

1. The Philippines had no legal obligation to arrest former president Rodrigo Duterte and turn him to the International Criminal Court. 
2. The Philippine government decided to assist the ICC to arrest the former president. 
3. There were glaring violations of the rights of the former president.

Because of this Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin sent a letter to the president’s sister informing her that the government officials will no longer attend the hearing due to their invocation of their executive privilege and respect to the sub judice rule over pending habeas corpus cases before the Supreme Court. 

This was answered by Marcos who made a resounding call to Bersamin on bringing the officials before the Senate for questioning. 

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