NO CONSPIRACY
“NO grand conspiracy!”
Insisting that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has no role in assisting the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, officials of the present administration faced questioning from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Senator Imee Marcos, which launched an investigation into the matter yesterday.
During the hearing, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Philippine Air Force Commanding General Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura, and PNP Chief Rommel Marbil were among those invited to testify before the panel, led by Senator Imee Marcos, the president’s sister.
The investigation was triggered by concerns over whether the Marcos administration had assisted or allowed the ICC to operate within the Philippines, despite previous government statements rejecting the court’s jurisdiction.
Senator Imee Marcos, a staunch critic of Duterte’s arrest, has decried the move, questioning how the former president was apprehended and transported to The Hague despite the government’s policy of non-cooperation with the ICC.
Justice Secretary Remulla reaffirmed the government’s long-standing position that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines, citing the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.
“We did not assist the ICC, ma’am. We continued with the very tenure of the letter that we did not assist the ICC. We never had contact with them,” Remulla told the Senate panel, referencing a December 2023 letter from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Vice President Sara Duterte, which insisted that the ICC had no authority over the Philippines.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año strongly denied allegations that government security agencies played a role in facilitating Duterte’s arrest, emphasizing that the Interpol Red Notice was enforced without any intelligence operation or government coordination.
“I may also state for the record that I am not aware of any core group, nor am I a member of such a group that allegedly planned and prepared for the arrest of former President Duterte,” Año said.
He further explained that Duterte’s presence in Hong Kong and his return to Manila were widely reported in media, making it unnecessary for government agencies to track his movements.
“The former President’s presence in Hong Kong as well as his return to the country was public knowledge, since it was heavily reported in both mainstream and social media,” Año added.
He assured the panel that no intelligence operation was conducted by Philippine authorities, dismissing accusations of a “grand conspiracy” involving high-ranking officials in Duterte’s arrest.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla was also questioned about whether the Marcos administration played a role in coordinating Duterte’s arrest.
Senator Imee Marcos pressed him on whether he, along with Defense Secretary Teodoro, PNP Chief Marbil, and National Security Adviser Año, had planned the operation. Remulla invoked executive privilege, denying any involvement in a government-led scheme.
“They asked me if I planned it. I said it was not me. There were other people in the room, but we did not discuss any plans of any arrest,” Remulla stated as he maintained that the government did not assist the ICC at all.
However, he acknowledged that discussions took place regarding the potential issuance of an ICC warrant, but he maintained that these discussions were based on media speculation, not official government planning.
“There was no planning, ma’am. We were all talking about a rumor. And that was all,” he said.
Despite repeated questioning, Marcos administration officials stood firm on their stance that the Philippines did not assist in Duterte’s arrest or allow ICC investigators to operate freely.
Remulla reiterated that the government neither blocked nor facilitated the ICC’s actions, emphasizing that the administration’s stance remains one of non-cooperation.
“Marahil, maybe it’s better if we put it in Tagalog—hindi tayo tumulong,” Remulla stated.
Even as President Marcos’ remarks in early 2025 suggested a more open position, Remulla maintained that the government’s official policy has not changed—the Philippines continues to assert its sovereignty and reject ICC jurisdiction over the country.
The Senate hearing made it clear that the Marcos administration continues to uphold Philippine sovereignty in legal matters, rejecting any claims that it actively aided the ICC’s efforts.
Despite ongoing international scrutiny, government officials insist that Duterte’s arrest was the result of an independent international law enforcement action and not a Philippine-led operation.
Sen. Marcos said the Senate investigation will continue as lawmakers seek further clarity on how the ICC was able to execute its warrant, but the Marcos administration through its officials who were present during the hearing, stands by its position that the Philippine government remains in control of its legal affairs and did not cooperate with the ICC at all.
