The Senate committee on foreign relations has uncovered significant lapses in the Philippine government's handling of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest, Senator Imee Marcos said in a press conference on Thursday.

Marcos asserted that the Philippines had “no legal obligation to arrest Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and turn him over to the International Criminal Court (ICC).” She explained that only a diffusion notice was received, which was neither verified nor approved by Interpol.

“There was no verification by Interpol to determine whether the request adhered to Article 3 of the Interpol Constitution, which prohibits the organization from engaging in political, military, religious, or racial matters,” Marcos stated, citing the Senate panel’s preliminary report.

The Senate panel's preliminary findings identified three key issues:

1. PHL had no legal obligation to arrest FPRRD – The Philippines was under no legal duty to detain and transfer Duterte to the ICC, as the only communication received was a diffusion notice that lacked verification from Interpol.

2. Gov’t decided to assist the ICC to arrest FPRRD – Evidence indicated that the Philippine government actively assisted in Duterte’s arrest even before the diffusion notice was issued on 11 March.

Reports revealed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) mobilized units as early as 10 March, while National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año had begun tracking Duterte’s movements. Additionally, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. justified the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) involvement in supporting the PNP.

1. Glaring violations of FPRRD’s rights – The report claimed Duterte was deprived of his right to be visited or confer with immediate family members. Furthermore, it highlighted inconsistencies in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) stance on the application of the Rome Statute.

Initially, the DOJ issued a certification citing Article 59, which mandates that an arrested individual be promptly brought before a competent judicial authority. However, when this position became untenable, the DOJ dismissed the statute's applicability and shifted to an extrajudicial rendition argument.

Marcos also alleged an "attempt to cover up" the orchestrated plan to arrest Duterte, which she claimed was already in motion well before 11 March.

Imee backs out of Alyansa slate
Amid mounting tensions, reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos announced on Wednesday her withdrawal from Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (APBP), the senatorial slate backed by her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The decision comes just seven weeks before the May midterm elections.

Citing the preliminary findings of her investigation into Duterte’s arrest, Marcos stated she could no longer campaign alongside the rest of the Alyansa slate.

“I cannot stand on the same campaign platform as the rest of the Alyansa,” she declared.

Marcos admitted on Thursday that her brother may have taken the Senate inquiry personally.

“It was never my intention for the hearing to be anti-administration. If you recall, almost all the witnesses were from the government. I didn’t know what their answers would be; that’s why I was asking questions—to find out,” Marcos explained.

“But when their statements contradicted each other, it reflected poorly on the government. I think that’s what angered him—that these inconsistencies were exposed in my hearing,” she added.

Malacañang denies rift between Marcos siblings
During a media briefing on Thursday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked about the state of the relationship between the Marcos siblings following Senator Imee Marcos’ withdrawal from the administration-backed slate and her investigation into Duterte’s arrest.

“We cannot say that there is a rift. Let’s wait and see if the President has anything to say about it,” Castro stated. “Based on the President’s nature, he is not one to take things personally.”