Palace Press officer Claire Castro and Sen. Imee Marcos (Marcos photo: Senate/Facebook) 

MANILA, Philippines – The Malacañang Palace urged Sen. Imee Marcos to invite more international law experts in the Senate inquiry so that she gets a broader perspective on the arrest and surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

“Mas maganda po talaga kung hindi lamang po iisang view ang madinig ni Senator Imee Marcos. Magimbita po siya ng mga mga eksperto pa yung mga madalas na na-interview na nagbibigay din ng kakaibang opinyon na kakaiba kay Atty. Alex Medina para nga po mas maliwanagan siya,” Palace Press officer Claire Castro said in a media briefing on Tuesday. 

Castro clarified that it was only a suggestion because it was asked during the briefing and not an imposition. Inviting more international law experts, Castro said, would provide the senator the clarity she’s looking for. 

Lawyer Alex Medina, an international law expert and author of many constitutional law books disagreed with the legal argument of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla and said there may have been an infringement of the constitutional rights of the former president during the conduct of his arrest. 

“Katulad ng sinasabi niya siya’y nagugulumihanan sa ngayon so mas mabuti po, ito naman ay suggestion lang tutal naitanong lang naman po, hindi naman po tayo nag-u-utos,” she said. 

Castro added that if more international experts bring more opinions into the matter, the committee of foreign affairs chair would no longer need the invited cabinet officials when she drafts her legislation. 

“Baka nga po sa pamamagitan ng iba pang mga international law experts at iba pang mga abugado na may iba-ibang opinyon ay hindi na niya kailanganin ang ibang mga cabinet members para siya ay makapag balangkas na batas,” she said. 

The Palace gave the green light to government officials involved in the arrest of the former president shortly after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin sent a letter to the president’s sister informing her that the respondents would no longer attend the hearing. 

Their non-appearance, according to Bersamin, is due to their invocation of the executive privilege and respect to the sub judice rule as habeas corpus cases are pending before the Supreme Court. 

Empty seats were the sight of the hearing on April 1 as only three out of 34 respondents appeared. 

Marcos had already clarified that it was not her intention for the hearing to be anti-administration. 

Even then, she was no longer mentioned in the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial ticket immediately after her probe. 

The preliminary investigation on Duterte’s arrest arrived at 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.

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