President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, March 11, denied any political motivations behind the arrest of his predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte.
The Chief Executive clarified in a late-night press briefing amid ongoing protest actions calling for a People Power movement following the government’s recent actions against Duterte.
According to Marcos, the government was only doing its job as it still has obligations to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
“Wala namang—it’s not because it’s one person or another that we do the things that we do,” Marcos said. “Maybe noong mga nakaraan na mga administrasyon, baka ganoon ang ginagawa. Pero para sa akin, hindi naman ganoon.”
Marcos said that his administration remains committed to upholding the rule of law and fulfilling its obligations on the international stage.
“Sumusunod tayo sa batas. We are a member of the community of nations. We must live up to our responsibilities to the commitments that we have made to the community of nations,” he said.
The president dismissed claims that political factors influenced the government’s actions against Duterte, pointing out that the case in question dates back to 2017.
“Politics doesn’t enter into it. Bakit—why—he’s never going to be a candidate for anything. Why go after him? Hindi ba?” Marcos said. “At saka 2017 pa ito, wala pa ako, civilian pa ako noon.”
Protests in support of Duterte have erupted in various locations, with demonstrators expressing concerns over what they perceive as politically motivated actions against the former president.
However, Marcos maintained that the process is merely a continuation of legal proceedings that have long been in motion. (TCSP)
