Statement of Sen. Bong Go on Controversial Arrest of Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte
BONG GO – The Senator insisted that the old age of former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was not considered over his arrest.
Currently, there is an ongoing political turmoil in the Philippines following the controversial arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The 80-year-old former Chief Executive of the country is currently detained in The Hague.
Duterte was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) upon his arrival from Hong Kong last March 11. The arrest was due to the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Philippine government earned bashing over the turning over of the custody of the former President.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was flown to The Hague, Netherlands via Dubai on the same day that he was arrested by the PNP authorities. Vice Pres. Sara Duterte immediately followed her father to Netherlands.
Duterte is currently detained in the Hague Penitentiary Institution. The former Philippine President was monitored at the hospital wing of the ICC detention facility for several days before he was released to be under a regular detention.
Back in the Philippines, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee launched an investigation on the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Recently, Sen. Imee Marcos who leads the Senate probe pushed through with the second day of the inquiry despite the cabinet officials’ absence.
One of those who attended the Senate inquiry is Sen. Bong Go. At the hearing, the lawmaker claimed that the age of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was not considered in his arrest. Based on a report on Inquirer, he stressed that the former President is frail and harmless.
“Hindi rin ninyo isinaalang-alang na matanda na po si Tatay Digong (Duterte). Ang matatanda po frail, fragile at, sa totoo lang, harmless na po si Tatay Digong,” Sen. Bong Go said.
Based on the report, Sen. Bong Go stressed the “humanitarian consideration” and the Philippine culture of taking care of the grandmothers and the grandfathers. He stressed that former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is alone in The Hague, Netherlands.
“Ngayon, sa ibang bansa, mag-isa siya, napaka-istrikto pa doon, sinong mag-aalaga kay Tatay Digong doon? Paano nalang kung may mangyari sa kanya doon?” he said.
At the hearing, Sen. Imee Marcos claimed that the private plane that carried Duterte to The Hague is the same plane that was used by Pres. Bongbong Marcos in his recent Ilocos Norte trip.