Former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo has called the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte “unlawful,” claiming that no legal counsel was present during his arrest.
In a statement, Panelo criticized the Philippine National Police (PNP) for not allowing one of Duterte’s lawyers to meet him at the airport and question the legal basis for his arrest. He argued that Duterte was deprived of legal representation during the process.
“By not allowing one of his lawyers to meet him, the arresting officer could avoid being asked if they had a hard copy of the arrest warrant,” Panelo said. He also labeled the arrest as illegal, arguing that the ICC’s arrest warrant was from a “spurious source” and that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.
Panelo concluded by stating that the government would hold the arresting officers and officials responsible for the arrest “criminally liable.”