DOJ Secretary Boying Remulla Assures To File Counter-Affidavit To Ombudsman
REMULLA – The Department of Justice Secretary reacted to the procedure of the Ombudsman on the complaint filed by Senator Imee Marcos over former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s arrest.
Amid the political turmoil in the Philippine government due to Duterte’s arrest, presidential sister and Sen. Imee Marcos opened a Senate investigation on the controversial turn of events last March 11. Duterte was arrested by the Philippine authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Duterte’s arrest was reportedly due to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). On the same day that he was arrested, the former President was flown to the Hague for the transfer of his custody.
Sen. Imee Marcos left the Alyansa Para Sa Pagbabago senatorial slate endorsed by Pres. Bongbong Marcos. The Senator could not accept what was done to the former President and stressed that her ideals and principles in life are not aligned with the actions of the government.
Sen. Imee Marcos submitted her findings to the Ombudsman on the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. She requested for the investigation of five (5) key officials including DOJ Sec. Boying Remulla in the arrest of the former President.
Marcos asked the Ombudsman to probe Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Chief Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, and Special Envoy for Transnational Crime Markus Lacanilao. According to her, she believes that the Ombudsman is not bias.
We expect the Ombudsman to proceed with the investigation kasi nga hinaharang ito sa Senado. Nahihirapan kami na kumuha ng testigo. I believe the Ombudsman is unbiased, walang takot na parusahan ‘yung karapat-dapat na parusahan,” the Senator claimed.
Recently, DOJ Sec. Boying Remulla reacted to the procedure of the Ombudsman over the findings on Duterte’s arrest. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the Justice Secretary questioned the procedure of the Ombudsman saying it allegedly possibly did not pass through the “fact-finding” phase.
“Parang hindi malinaw ang procedure kasi dati, merong fact-finding iyan, may rules na published iyan. Iyong ngayon parang hindi rin dumaan sa fact-finding, basta dere-derecho kaagad sa amin,” Remulla said.
Based on the report, DOJ Sec. Boying Remulla assured that they will answer to the complaint before the Ombudsman despite that the procedure is allegedly not clear. He reiterated that the authorities did not violate the law in the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and the transfer of his custody to the ICC.
“Sasagutin namin ang bawat issue, na everything that happened was within legal bounds, lahat naman iyan according to law,” he said.
Furthermore, based on the report, Remulla criticized the complaint filed by Marcos. According to him, he found it weird as it was allegedly not a committee report. He questioned the intention of the Senator.
“Why not wait for the committee report kasi that’s the committee investigation?… Pag tapos na ang eleksyon tapos na iyon, kasi parang in aid lang iyan, gusto lang talaga makakuha ng publicity tungkol sa eleksyon, wala tayong magagawa,” he claimed.
Amid the issue and her support to the Dutertes, Sen. Imee Marcos claimed that she and Pres. Bongbong Marcos have never fought. According to her, her enemies are the other people in Malacañang.