President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. admitted that the Philippine government complied with an Interpol request leading to the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to Interpol which we have to fulfill,” Marcos said during a press briefing late Tuesday evening, March 12.
“If we don’t do that, they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad,” he added.
Marcos emphasized that the move was in accordance with international expectations, especially as the Philippines remains an active participant in global law enforcement cooperation.
Asked whether the arrest was a violation of Philippine sovereignty as the country withdrew its membership from the International Criminal Court (ICC) last March 2018, Marcos firmly denied such claims.
The President clarified that the arrest was not a violation of Philippine sovereignty, as the request came from Interpol and not the ICC, which has been investigating Duterte’s controversial war on drugs.
“No, why would it be? We are consistent. We are not helping the ICC investigation,” Marcos said.
“We have some contact with them, naturally, but not on an official level. We didn’t help them in any way. The arrest we did today was in compliance with our commitments to Interpol. It just so happened that it came from the ICC, but it’s not because it came from the ICC—it’s because it came from Interpol,” he added.
The arrest has sparked allegations of political persecution, particularly with the 2028 elections in mind. However, Marcos dismissed these claims, noting that the case against Duterte dates back to 2017, during the latter’s presidency and while the Philippines was still a member of the ICC.
When pressed on whether Duterte’s arrest was politically motivated, particularly in relation to the 2028 elections, Marcos dismissed such allegations, pointing out that the case dates back to 2017, when the Philippines was still a member of the ICC.
“So, I don’t see how that can be political persecution on my part because it was initiated before I even came into the picture,” Marcos said.
The President further stressed that while the Philippines had refused to assist the ICC in its investigations, the country could not disregard Interpol’s requests.
“Marami silang hinihingi sa atin na mga dokumento, wala kaming binigay,” he said. “Pero hindi natin mahindian ang Interpol ‘pag sinabi sa atin ‘tulungan niyo kami. Kailangan naming kunin itong taong ito.’
Marcos also highlighted the role of Interpol in aiding the Philippines in various cases, including the pursuit of fugitives and human trafficking operations.
“Kung maalala ninyo lahat ng mga tumakas dito sa Pilipinas kagaya ni Alice Guo, kagaya ni Arnie Teves, kung sino-sino pa… pati na ‘yung mga human trafficking sa Myanmar… Sinong tumulong sa atin para makita natin ‘yung ating mga kababayan na inaapi at ginagamit sa masamang paraan? Ang Interpol,” he said.
“Kaya naman dapat naman tayo pagka sinabi sa atin ‘tulungan niyo kami sa ganito,’ tumulong kayo. Kaya naman ganoon ang ginawa natin,” Marcos said.
At the beginning of his presidency, Marcos was a staunch supporter of Duterte. However, their relationship deteriorated over time. A major turning point in their rift was Duterte’s public accusation that Marcos was a drug addict.
Tensions between the Marcos and Duterte families escalated further when Vice President Sara Duterte admitted to hiring a hitman to target Marcos and his family if she were to be killed.
Meanwhile, former President Duterte had conflicting responses to the ICC’s actions. Initially, he showed no fear and even challenged the ICC to act swiftly. However, as he traveled to The Hague, he later declared that he would rather die than be arrested.
His controversial “War on Drugs” campaign has been linked to at least 6,000 deaths, though human rights organizations estimate the toll could be as high as 30,000. (TCSP)
