MANILA, Philippines — Dissatisfied with the information she gathered from the first inquiry on the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte on orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Sen. Imee Marcos has set a second public hearing on Thursday next week.
“I’ve decided to have a second hearing on April 3,” Marcos told The STAR yesterday.
The elder sister of President Marcos has been vocal in her support for Duterte. She left the administration’s senatorial lineup, the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas.
The Senate committee on foreign affairs, which she chairs, has yet to disclose the personalities to be invited to the second hearing.
She earlier told The STAR that she wanted to invite legal experts, possibly retired court justices.
At her press conference last Thursday, Senator Marcos said that the government had a “comprehensive plan” to arrest Duterte and cooperate with the ICC despite questions of sovereignty and “glaring violations” of Duterte’s rights as accused.
Marcos said her Senate foreign relations committee investigation noted the “lack of due process” in the Philippine government’s turnover of Duterte to The Hague for his drug war-related crimes against humanity case.
Marcos said the three findings of her hearing are: “The Philippines had no legal obligation” to arrest Duterte and turn him over to The Hague; “the Philippine government decided to assist the ICC to arrest FPRRD” and “there were glaring violations of FPRRD’s rights.”
Call for justice, accountability
Drug war victims and families of extrajudicial killings greeted former president Duterte’s 80th birthday with protests and other activities to call for justice and accountability.
In The Hague where Duterte is currently detained, human rights advocates led the launch of the Duterte Panagutin Europe campaign network, a multi-sectoral group seeking to amplify the calls for justice and accountability of victims of the drug war and other human rights violations in the Philippines.
A candle-lighting activity was scheduled on Friday night in the Netherlands (past midnight Saturday in Manila), with simultaneous activities in other countries in Europe.
In the Philippines, human rights groups led protests calling for accountability and justice. Activist groups held a rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila where they remembered the thousands of people killed during the former president’s bloody drug war.
“We remember the families of the disappeared who continue to wait for the return of their loved ones so that they may celebrate their birthdays,” Bayan president Renato Reyes said.
Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said they are hoping the trial at the ICC will conclude with Duterte’s conviction for his crimes.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) also expressed its wishes for the former president for his 80th birthday – conviction with the rest of his life spent in jail.
“While Duterte marks another year of his life, thousands of Filipino families will never again celebrate birthdays with their loved ones who fell victim to his state-sponsored killings,” ACT chair Vladimer Quetua said.
“Our message is clear: may justice be served swiftly, and may he spend whatever years he has left behind bars, paying for the immeasurable suffering he has caused,” he added.
At least 4,000 police officers were deployed for public safety and security in Metro Manila during Duterte’s birthday, according to National Capital Region Police Office director Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin. — Jose Rodel Clapano, Emmanuel Tupas, Janvic Mateo, Elizabeth Marcelo