Imee questions ‘mysterious plane’ in Duterte’s ICC transfer
A Gulfstream G550 plane believed to carry former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is seen after landing at Rotterdam The Hague Airport, following Dutertre's arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant tied to his deadly crackdown on drugs, on 12 March 2025. The 79-year-old faces a charge of "the crime against humanity of murder", according to the ICC, for a crackdown that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands of mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs.
JOHN THYS / AFP
Senator Imee Marcos has summoned officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), along with pilots and flight officers involved in the March 11 operation that transported former president Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague.
The senator seeks clarification on what she called the "eroplanong mahiwaga" (mysterious plane), a chartered aircraft used for Duterte’s ICC transfer.
Marcos revealed that the private jet, bearing tail number RP-C5219, was the same aircraft her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., used for a recent trip to Laoag, Ilocos Norte.
However, she was unable to obtain explanations since invited CAAP personnel and other key officials failed to attend the Senate hearing.
“Maraming kababalaghan. Sayang wala rito ang CAAP at 'yung mga opisyal at iba pang testigo na makakapagbigay ng linaw sa sambayanan tungkol sa eroplanong mahiwaga (There are many mysteries. It's a pity that the CAAP, officials, and other witnesses are not here to provide clarity to the public about the mysterious plane),” she said.
Marcos presented photos showing the aircraft in Laoag on March 30, 2025, linking it to a rally held on March 28. Additional records suggest that the same plane had been used multiple times by President Marcos Jr., including documented landings in Palawan and Tawi-Tawi in 2024.
Meanwhile, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa questioned why the president frequently opts for RP-C5219 instead of the official presidential aircraft.
“So madalas gamitin ang eroplanong ito ng ating Pangulo, at pinagtatakahan namin dahil napaka strikto ng security para sa pangulo, hindi po ba? Alam natin na may presidential plane naman ang Air Force, kaya’t nagiging himala kung bakit iba ang ginagamit (Our President often uses this plane, and we are surprised because security is usually very strict for the President, aren't we? We know that the Air Force has a designated presidential plane, so it’s a mystery why someone else would use it),” he remarked.
On 14 March, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that the Office of the President paid for the chartered flight that transported Duterte to The Hague, citing the administration’s commitment to complying with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).