Report connected dots

Merely dismissing the findings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of a “whole-of-government” effort as being a partisan finding will not help anybody but will only degrade the public’s confidence.

Without a clear explanation from those accused of enabling the surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Filipinos remain hungry for information that the committee report had supplied.

Senator Imee Marcos, in explaining the outcome of the investigation on the 11 March swift transfer of Duterte to the waiting hands of the International Criminal Court (ICC), said the effort was all about marginalizing the popular Duterte family by targeting Digong and Vice President Sara, the twin kingpins of the clan.

Piecing together the information obtained from the Senate hearing, the senator revealed a strategy that started with the People’s Initiative (PI) to amend the Constitution, which failed and was followed by the impeachment proceedings, and thence the handover of the former president to the ICC. Following the transfer of the former president to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges linked to his drug war, a comprehensive plan was unraveled in the Senate probe.

The committee’s findings come at a critical juncture, with the 2025 midterm elections looming and VP Duterte facing an impeachment trial that could reshape the political landscape.

The Senate committee highlighted several elements of an alleged plot to clip the wings of the Dutertes, including the inquisitions by the House Quad committee of the two Dutertes.

The Senate panel’s report suggested the votes for VP Duterte’s impeachment were secured through “soft projects” like social aid programs such as the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICs) and the Tulong Pang-hanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).

The impeachment, led by House administration allies, is portrayed as a targeted effort to neutralize VP Duterte, a potential presidential contender in 2028.

After the PI faltered, the report alleged that the House of Representatives executed the alternative option which were investigations into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during Duterte’s presidency, starting with the House Committee on Human Rights, before expanding into the QuadCom.

The probes were classified as politically motivated “attacks” designed to tarnish Duterte’s legacy and justify his arrest.

The report cited an election campaign operation as evidence of a coordinated effort to link the investigations to a broader anti-Duterte agenda.

The report primarily questioned the legality of the implementation of the arrest and its rapid execution.

According to the Senate report, state institutions, including the Department of Justice (DoJ), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and legislative bodies, were systemically mobilized to target the Dutertes.

Duterte’s arrest, facilitated by the ICC, is the most contentious element of the report, which delved into the complex legal issues accompanying an arrest executed under supposed international obligations.

If true, the alleged misuse of state mechanisms — such as the DoJ, DILG, and Congress — to target political rivals places the integrity of the entire administration into question.

The report provided a detailed timeline and specific allegations, such as the role of the Lakas-CMD and social aid programs, which reinforces perceptions of a persecution.

The findings also highlight systemic issues of governance, including institutions’ vulnerability to political manipulation.

The findings also underscored the fragility of political alliances and institutional trust in the Philippines, where political interests often overshadow public welfare.

Such a schism becomes more pronounced in the final stretch of the campaign season.