Senate probe of ICC arrest gives Duterte allies platform to boost political clout

By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter

THE ALLIES of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte are using the Senate investigation into his arrest as a platform to solidify their standing in the upcoming midterm elections, political analysts said.

“This is more just performing to the base and solidifying their ranks to vote for Duterte-backed candidates,” Hansley A. Juliano, a political science lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, chaired by Senator and presidential sister Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, on March 20 launched an inquiry into the arrest of the Mr. Duterte citing questions on the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the Philippines.

Local police arrested Mr. Duterte after the ICC ordered his arrest and sought the help of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). The tough-talking leader was arrested shortly after arriving from Hong Kong and was put on a chartered plane to the Netherlands on March 11.

The ICC has been investigating Mr. Duterte and his cohorts for crimes against humanity that he allegedly committed when he was still the mayor of Davao City and for the first three years of his presidency, when the Philippines was still a member of the international tribunal.

Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said that the committee hearing is meant to allow Ms. Marcos to improve her support for re-election and “court the political base of the Dutertes.”

The office of Senator Marcos did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

Ms. Marcos recently withdrew from administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, citing differences in the administration’s actions regarding the arrest of the ex-President.

“She is giving platform to Duterte allies to spread and mainstream their claims that basically aim to undermine the legitimacy of the ICC arrest and continue to mobilize their supporters,” Mr. Aguirre said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

Ms. Marcos ranked outside of the “Magic 12” in the Social Weather Stations’ (SWS) latest survey, placing 16^th in March, two places down from her ranking in January and February.

Mr. Duterte’s former aide, re-electionist Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, topped the list with Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo; while his former police chief, Senator Ronald M. dela Rosa placed 9^th.

The same survey reported that nine out of 12 senatorial bets backed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. made it to the top 13 preferred candidates of Filipino voters.

The Philippine midterm elections on May 12, 2025, will determine 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate, along with positions in the House of Representatives and local government units.

Mr. Aguirre added that Ms. Marcos is only trying to save her senatorial bid and “to allow the Duterte camp to intensify its effort to influence its support base by creating contents for their social media operations.”

Several Duterte allies have questioned the validity of his arrest, citing the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute.

“There is nothing that the hearing can accomplish in terms of the illegality of arrest because that is a given. The world which watched the arrest already knew that it was illegal,” Former presidential legal counsel Salvador S. Panelo said in a Viber message.

In 2018, the ex-President withdrew the Philippines from the international tribunal’s founding treaty when it started looking into allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings. It took effect in 2019.

“Expecting a structure of global governance to bow to a domestic body, not even one that speaks it’s language, is definitely wishful thinking,” Mr. Juliano added.

He said that no legal institutions and bodies from both the government and the civil society are willing to sanction anything against the ICC.

NOT NECESSARY
Meanwhile, officials from the executive branch have notified the committee that they will not be attending the hearing on Thursday, according to a letter sent by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin to Ms. Marcos and the Senate President on Tuesday.

“We believe that further participation may no longer be necessary at this time, especially considering the Honorable Chairperson has publicly relayed her comprehensive finding,” Mr. Bersamin said in his letter, sent to reporters.

He added that the four petitions filed in the Supreme Court involving the arrest and surrender of Mr. Duterte are intertwined with the agenda of the committee hearing.

“Further discussions on the matters in the agenda of the hearing may constitute violation of the sub judice rule, which could unduly influence the ongoing proceedings,” he added.

The Presidential Palace said earlier that it will not prevent officials from attending the second committee hearing, scheduled on Thursday (April 3), based on the Senate committee calendar.

According to her preliminary report, Ms. Marcos said the Philippines had no obligation to arrest and surrender Mr. Duterte to the ICC, and the government had not only helped the ICC in the arrest but have planned it before a warrant was issued.