Gov’t Officials Including CIDG Chief Nicolas Torre Attends Senate Probe on Duterte Arrest
CIDG chief Nicolas Torre III cited the time on denying the request of former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to see Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
Senator Imee Marcos is one of the government officials who was disappointed by the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The former Chief Executive is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands after his custody was transferred under the International Criminal Court or ICC.
Sen. Imee Marcos expressed a desire to investigate the unexpected turn of events last March 11 that led to Duterte’s arrest and the transfer of his custody to the ICC. She leads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the probe of Duterte’s arrest.
Contrary to the action of the executive department on the second inquiry, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero previously confirmed that the cabinet officials will attend the 3rd Senate probe led by Sen. Imee Marcos on Duterte’s arrest.
According to Escudero, he initiated a communication with the executive department over the matter and it was agreed that some cabinet members will be attending the investigation. The upper chamber committee wanted Criminal Investigation and Detection Group or CIDG chief Nicolas Torre to really attend the Senate probe.
CIDG chief Nicolas Torre was the lead implementer of the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Last March 11, Duterte was detained at the Villamor Air Base for several hours before he was flown to The Hague, Netherlands via Dubai.
However, amid his detention, there were no sightings of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte at the Villamor Air Base visiting her father. She is the lawyer among the children of the former President.
At the recent Senate hearing on Duterte’s arrest, CIDG chief Nicolas Torre admitted that he denied the request of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte to see Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on a report on GMA News, he cited the time.
“Yes, sir, I did prevent the request… I did deny the request of President Duterte for him to allow VP Sara to enter. Kasi nga naman, mag alas-diyes na nu’n and that’s already around 12 hours after we first got him into custody. The VP had all the chances… earlier that day,” Torre said.
Based on the report, the CIDG Chief claimed that they were really expecting Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. According to him, it was also confirmed that she will be arriving to see the former President.
“We’re actually expecting her. Alas-tres pa lang, may information na darating siya. And kung gusto talaga nilang pumasok, puwede naman sir eh,” the CIDG Chief said.
Torre claimed that the vehicle of Honeylet and either four or five other vehicles were allowed to enter. According to him, the partner of Duterte and their daughter, Kitty, were fetched but Vice Pres. Sara Duterte allegedly did not go with them.
“‘Yung sasakyan ni Honeylet and four, five other vehicles, nakapasok at sinundo sila sir… Tumayo ang balahibo ko nu’ng nakita ko, andiyan ata si VP Sara, si Bong Go, nakapasok na. Sinusundo sina Honeylet at Kitty ng kanilang mga sasakyan together with the other entourage, bakit hindi sila sumabay sa tarmac, bukas pa naman ang pintuan,” Torre said.
Based on the report, the CIDG Chief was also asked about allegedly not allowing the personal doctor of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte to see him. According to him, they have “substantial doctors”.
Currently, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is in The Hague, Netherlands for close to a month now. Amid the ongoing Senate investigation, Malacañang previously advised Sen. Imee Marcos to invite international law experts on the probe over Duterte’s arrest.