- Bong Go: Senate hearing on Duterte’s arrest already too late
SENATOR Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Goe described as useless the Senate hearing into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and subsequent ICC detention.
“I respect the initiative of this Senate inquiry. While I respect this hearing, I must also express my frustrations. It seems too late now. I have no problem with hearings, even daily ones, but the question remains: Can we bring back Tatay Digong? This is what I call ‘too late, the hero.'”
“All these hearings are useless if we cannot bring back Tatay Digong. So, I ask, if you can bring him there in less than a day, within 13 hours, you should be able to bring him back here as soon as possible.”
In his preliminary speech during the Senate hearing on the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Interpol, and other government agencies, Go stated that if the authorities could bring Duterte to The Hague, Netherlands, within 13 hours, they should also ensure his swift return to the country.
“My main question is, how and why have we come to this situation when we have an existing justice system in our country, with our own laws and courts? Why did the government allow the Philippines to be caught up in this? As many have said, Duterte is considered a hero, and whatever comes out of this hearing, he is now in The Hague, Netherlands, where he could still be brought back,” Go said.
“As a legislator, I was at NAIA when the plane carrying former President Duterte landed. I was not allowed to enter with his doctors because he had a scheduled medical checkup on March 12. You may check the records. It’s important to ensure his health because he is 80 years old, but it seems the authorities did not consider this. He was not allowed to go to the hospital, nor were his medications brought to him.”
“He has 27 medicines. I hope you can provide him with the necessary medication and medical attention while he is abroad. This is his Constitutional right,” he added.
“It’s not right to withhold respect and, above all, the truth. Honestly, how many times have we been lied to by now Brigadier General Jean Fajardo? As a (PNP) spokesperson, you should speak the truth for the sake of the nation. You must be loyal to our flag and our country. We loved you, and so did former President Duterte. Please, just a little respect. If you could do this to me, you can do it to others,” Go added.
“Lastly, we want to know if there was a violation of process. Was former President Duterte given due process? If we are serious about delivering justice, the first consideration should be ensuring human rights and following due process. The truth is, Tatay Digong won’t run away. He can’t even walk properly anymore,” he concluded.
“Instead of progressing, we’ve regressed. We used to find ways to bring back OFWs. In fact, former President Duterte wrote to kings and other world leaders to ensure our citizens could come home, even raising blood money. But why is it the opposite now? Why are we surrendering our own people? I cannot accept that he is being tried abroad when we have a functioning judicial system here, respected sovereignty, and the ability to hold anyone accountable in our country,” Go lamented.
“Madam chair, this is not just about former President Duterte. This is about the sovereignty of the Philippines. Our heroes fought and died for our freedom. We must protect our sovereignty so that our children and their children will live in a free country respected by other nations,” he said.
Presidential sister and Senate panel chairperson Imee Marcos on Thursday said the Philippine government surrendered former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges of crimes against humanity.
During the Senate foreign relations committee hearing into the arrest of Duterte, Marcos presented a series of video clips from when the warrant of arrest was served to the former president when he returned to the Philippines from Hong Kong to when he was flown to the Netherlands.
If it’s proven that there are wrongdoings in Duterte’s arrest, Imee Marcos said they will put up safeguards so it will not happen again.
Present in the hearing were Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Philippine Air Force Commanding General Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura, PNP Chief Rommel Marbil, among others.
Screenshot photo from Senate of the Philippine
