Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte has strongly criticized the arrest of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, claiming it is a politically motivated act by the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
In a Facebook post, the younger Duterte alleged that the Marcos government is using the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant to divert public attention from the ongoing debate over the 2025 national budget.
“This isn’t about the Philippine National Police serving a warrant—they can’t even justify their actions. This is a political stunt by the Marcos administration. Be prepared,” he warned.
He further claimed that the administration is pushing for this scenario in hopes that public discourse would shift away from the budget controversy, calling it an act of “desperation.”
Duterte also accused law enforcement, specifically Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III, of illegally detaining his father and preventing him from receiving medical attention.
“It seems they are trying to murder the old man,” he said.
Earlier, Malacañang confirmed that the former president was taken into custody after authorities served an arrest warrant upon his arrival from Hong Kong at around 9 a.m. on Tuesday. He was detained at Villamor Air Base, where he was read his Miranda rights and informed of his right to legal counsel.
Rodrigo Duterte is facing an ICC investigation for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s anti-drug campaign. Official records report at least 6,200 drug-related deaths from June 2016 to November 2021, though human rights groups argue the actual number could be as high as 30,000, accounting for unreported killings.
