Cayetano: SC key to guide PH in Duterte's ICC case

PHILIPPINES, March 17 - Press Release
March 16, 2025

The Supreme Court plays a pivotal role in guiding the country on how to handle the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In an interview with reporters on Friday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said the top court's guidance would set legal precedence and help the public understand what to expect, especially when more arrest warrants are issued by the international tribunal.

"I would still want guidance... May time pa naman ang Supreme Court [before other arrests are made] para may guidance na tayo pare-pareho. It's the confusion now that's the killer," Cayetano, a lawyer, said.

"I'm hoping that by the time maglabas pa ang ICC ng warrants of arrest, there will be some guidance on paper," he added.

Duterte was arrested by Interpol on March 11 due to an ICC arrest warrant for crimes against humanity after returning from Hong Kong. He was immediately placed on a plane and sent to ICC in The Hague, Netherlands.

The ICC's founding treaty, the Rome Statute, obliges all 124 member countries to arrest and transfer anyone with an ICC arrest warrant if they enter their territory. However, enforcing this rule is challenging and depends on the willingness of these countries to cooperate.

Cayetano said in the case of the Philippines, any ICC action must operate within the bounds of the 1987 Constitution and Philippine laws.

He noted that the ICC can only intervene in the country if the state has failed to prosecute the individuals in question.

Currently, there are four petitions filed in the Supreme Court that seek to bring back the former President to the country and prohibit the government from further cooperating with the ICC.

Cayetano said if the SC issues a writ of habeas corpus, it could lead to Duterte's return to the Philippines.

"Kapag naglabas ang Supreme Court ng writ of habeas corpus, then it it will be the duty of the Republic of the Philippines including the Department of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic efforts na ibalik ang former President dito sa bansa," he said.

He added, "If the SC also says na hindi lawful ang pagsakay ng dating Pangulo sa eroplano and that they have to pass the local courts to validate the warrant, it will have persuasive effect."

This, he said, would take effect "even if humiwalay na tayo sa ICC in 2019. The ICC has to respect that."

Cayetano, who served in Duterte's administration, has voiced concern over the treatment of the former president.

"Pinaka-issue sa akin ay dapat pinayagan muna ang dating Pangulo na makipagpulong sa kanyang mga abogado at binigyan ng reasonable time para magseek siya ng legal remedies. Dapat hinintay yung korte bago siya isakay sa eroplano," the senator said in his Facebook vlog.

He stressed that Duterte's human rights should have been respected. "Pabayaan muna natin yung local courts mag-decide kung ganyan, was it too much?" he asked.

"That's precisely what human rights is -- it's available to everyone. And that's precisely what due process is. Part of it is having the availability of legal remedies," he said.

Cayetano: Malaki ang papel ng Korte Suprema sa paggabay sa kaso ni Duterte sa ICC

Magsisilbing gabay sa bansa ang Korte Suprema kung paano tutugon sa pag-aresto kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ng International Criminal Court (ICC).

Sa isang panayam nitong Biyernes, sinabi ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano na ang Korte Suprema mismo ang magtatakda ng ligal na pamantayan.

Aniya, mahalaga itong malaman at maintindihan ng taumbayan lalo na at may iba pang inaasahan na arrest warrant na darating mula sa international tribunal.

"I'm hoping that by the time maglabas pa ang ICC ng warrants of arrest, there will be some guidance on paper," dagdag niya.

Inaresto si Duterte ng Interpol nitong March 11 sa bisa ng isang ICC arrest warrant dahil sa kasong crimes against humanity. Paglapag ng kanyang eroplano galing Hong Kong, inaresto siya at isinakay sa isa pang eroplano patungo sa ICC sa The Hague, Netherlands.

Ang Rome Statute, ang batayan ng ICC, ay nagsasabing dapat arestuhin at isuko ng 124 na miyembrong bansa ang sinumang may warrant ng ICC kapag pumasok sa kanilang teritoryo. Pero mahirap itong ipatupad dahil nakadepende ito sa kooperasyon ng mga bansa.

Ayon kay Cayetano, sa kaso ng Pilipinas, dapat sumunod ang ICC sa 1987 Constitution at mga batas ng bansa. Pwede lamang makialam ang ICC kung hindi kikilos ang Pilipinas para usigin ang mga nasasangkot.

Sa ngayon, may apat na petisyon na isinumite sa Korte Suprema para ibalik si Duterte sa bansa at pigilan ang gobyerno sa pakikipagtulungan sa ICC.

Wika ni Cayetano, kapag maglabas ang Korte Suprema ng writ of habeas corpus, posible itong magresulta sa pagbabalik ni Duterte sa Pilipinas.

Dagdag pa niya, "If the SC also says na hindi lawful ang pagsakay ng dating Pangulo sa eroplano and that they have to pass the local courts to validate the warrant, it will have persuasive effect."

Aniya, may bisa ito kahit na "humiwalay na tayo sa ICC noong 2019. The ICC has to respect that."

Nagsilbi si Cayetano bilang Foreign Affairs Secretary sa administrasyon ni Duterte. Isa rin siya sa nagpahayag ng pagkabahala kung paano isinagawa ang pag-aresto sa dating Pangulo.

Giit ni Cayetano, dapat nirerespeto ang karapatang pantao ng dating Pangulo. "Pabayaan muna natin yung local courts mag-decide kung ganyan, was it too much?" tanong niya.

"That's precisely what human rights is -- it's available to everyone. And that's precisely what due process is. Part of it is having the availability of legal remedies," aniya.

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