FORMER presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo on Tuesday filed a motion before the Supreme Court requesting oral arguments on Veronica “Kitty” Duterte’s habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The motion, filed on April 7, 2025, argues that oral arguments would provide a transparent platform for the SC to address crucial legal and constitutional issues raised in the petitions. This would ensure the public fully understands the Supreme Court’s eventual ruling on this case of transcendental importance and significant public interest.
The motion also proposes issues for oral arguments, including whether respondent government officials can evade judicial review and correction via habeas corpus by simply removing an illegally arrested and detained person from Philippine territory.
In a social media post, Panelo reiterated that oral arguments would allow the SC to address these vital legal and constitutional questions, leading to a well-articulated and publicly understood ruling on a case of such significance.
The petition filed by Kitty Duterte’s camp cites “exigent constitutional issues” as the primary grounds for seeking oral arguments, pointing to the potential violation of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s constitutional rights and a breach of the separation of powers due to the Philippine government’s recognition of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Furthermore, the petition asks the high court to clarify the scope of the writ of habeas corpus, which Duterte’s legal team contends is crucial in determining whether the administration acted improperly in facilitating his potential transfer to The Hague.
“Oral arguments would allow this Honorable Court to probe the jurisdictional limits of a writ of habeas corpus and the enforceability of its writ on respondents within this Court’s jurisdiction, even outside our national borders,” the petition read.
Panelo also asserted that their petitions are not moot and academic, maintaining their firm stance that Duterte’s potential arrest by the ICC is illegal and unwarranted.
