Senator Imee Marcos expressed strong opposition on Thursday to the Philippine government’s decision to hand over former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges of crimes against humanity.
During a Senate foreign relations committee hearing, Marcos played video footage showing Duterte’s arrest upon returning from Hong Kong and his transfer to the Netherlands. She questioned why a fellow Filipino was surrendered to foreign authorities instead of being judged by the country’s own legal system.
“Why did we give up a fellow Filipino? If it was your sibling, your father, or your grandfather—elderly and ailing—being taken away, would you just stand by and watch?” Marcos asked.
She further criticized the ICC’s jurisdiction over Duterte, arguing that allowing foreign entities to take him undermines the country’s sovereignty.
“This is bigger than Duterte. This is about our dignity as Filipinos,” she said, adding that if any wrongdoing is proven in Duterte’s arrest, safeguards will be put in place to prevent similar incidents.
Senator Bong Go, a close ally of Duterte, also spoke during the hearing, urging Philippine National Police (PNP) officials to be transparent about the arrest. He reminded them of their duty to serve the country and show respect to Duterte, who supported them during his presidency.
PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, who was present along with other high-ranking police officials, has yet to respond to Go’s call.
