PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.: Good evening, everyone. I am sure you know the subject matter of our little meeting today, this evening.
The plane carrying former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte took off at 11:03 p.m. this evening and exited Philippine air space.
The plane is en route to The Hague in the Netherlands allowing the former president to face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs.
The former president was earlier placed in government custody at Villamor Air Base after he, his common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and members of his entourage arrived at 9:20 this morning from Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific flight No. CX 907.
Mr. Duterte was arrested in compliance with our commitments to Interpol.
Hours before his arrival, Interpol Manila received an official copy of the ICC warrant. This prompted the Prosecutor General of the Department of Justice to serve the warrant.
Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill. If we don’t do that, they will not – they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad.
This is what the international community expects of us as the leader of a democratic country that is part of the community of nations.
So, I’m sure that the details that surround this – what has happened today are familiar to you. I just wanted to make very, very clear and give you the facts from – for the departure of former president Duterte from the Philippines.
Thank you.
Q&A:
PCO SECRETARY JAY RUIZ: Thank you very much, Mr. President. Kanina po ay nagpaabot ng tanong ang mga miyembro ng Malacañang Press Corps at atin po itong sasagutin. Question number one: Mr. President, mayroon po bang pisikal na kopya ng warrant of arrest laban kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte mula sa ICC?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah, oo, oo, mayroon. This came in — actually, it came in — I received it from — from Secretary Remulla. I received it at 3 a.m. last night.
And we — I looked at it and we went back and forth, 6:30, he wrote me again and he said, “We have it already. We have the warrant of arrest from the Interpol.”
And I said, “Okay, we’ll put all our plans into place and sige, let’s proceed as we had discussed.” That’s what happened.
So, yes, there is a very clear document that will explain when the — how on the — sorry, that will explain the basis on how we conducted this arrest of former President Duterte.
SEC. RUIZ: Sir, is it okay if we give them the copies of the arrest warrant? Photocopies of the arrest warrant? Would that be possible?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Do we have — do we have limitations on that?
DILG SECRETARY JONVIC REMULLA: We have limitations but we can —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: We have here the SILG who has been, of course, part and parcel of the entire operation.
SEC. REMULLA: We will provide the PCO with the digital copy. It has been attested by the Secretary of Justice and the Department of Justice as a lawful and legal warrant. We will publish it after this press conference and they can use it as reference.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: These are — it’s very simple. It’s a request to the Philippine government from Interpol to enforce the arrest warrant.
And, of course, we comply with our commitments to Interpol. It is — we did not do this because it was – it derived from or it came from ICC.
We did this because Interpol asked us to do it. And we have commitments to them, and we lived up to those commitments.
SEC. RUIZ: Thank you, sir. Second question, sir: Mr. President, sinasabi ng kampo ni PRRD na unlawful arrest daw itong ginawang pag-aresto sa kanya.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, we followed every single necessary procedure – the very good basis on which to serve that warrant and to read him his rights.
We followed all the legal procedures that are necessary. So, I’m confident that if in further examination, you will find that it is proper and correct.
SEC. RUIZ: Sir, third question from the MPC: Mr. President, may violation ba ito sa ating soberanya, itong pagkakaaresto kay dating Pangulong Duterte?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: No. Bakit naman? Dahil consistent naman tayo. Hindi tayo tumutulong sa imbestigasyon ng ICC.
Wala tayong masya – mayroon tayong contact sa kanila, natural. Pero no, not on an official level. We didn’t help them in any way.
The arrest – what we did – the arrest that we did today was in compliance with our commitments to Interpol. It just so happened that that came from ICC. But it’s not because it came from ICC, it’s because it came from Interpol.
SEC. RUIZ: Pang-apat po na tanong: Mr. President, sinasabi po nila na ito ay political persecution lamang at may kaugnayan din daw sa 2028 elections.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay, well, I’m sure sasabihin nila ‘yan. But this case started in 2017 when we were still members of the ICC, and it was during the time of former president Duterte.
So, I don’t see how that can be political persecution on my part because the – it was initiated before I even came into the picture. So, that would seem…
But once again, we have to recognize that, you know, of course, it’s natural for people to put – lalagyan ng politika – kulay ng politika pero sinundan lang natin ‘yung ICC – ‘yung Interpol.
Wala tayong – hindi natin kinakausap ‘yung ICC. Marami silang hinihingi sa atin na mga dokumento, wala kaming binigay.
‘Yun lamang hindi natin mahindian ang Interpol ‘pag sinabi sa atin ‘tulungan niyo kami. Kailangan naming kunin itong taong ito.’ Dahil kung maalala ninyo lahat ng mga tumakas dito sa Pilipinas kagaya ni Alice Guo, kagaya ni Arnie Teves, kung sino-sino pa, pati na ‘yung mga human trafficking sa Myanmar, pati sa mga madadamay…
Sinong tumulong sa atin para makita natin ‘yung mga – mga ating kababayan na inaapi at ginagamit sa masamang paraan? Ang Interpol.
Kaya naman dapat naman tayo pagka sinabi sa atin ‘tulungan niyo kami sa ganito,’ tumulong kayo. Kaya naman ganoon ang ginawa natin.
SEC. RUIZ: Maraming salamat, Mr. President, sa paglilinaw ninyo. You want to ask another question?
Q: Mr. President, take one question, sir?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right, sure.
Q: Sir, there are calls for People Power. There are, in fact, as we speak, protest actions ongoing. Would you like to address the supporters of the former president?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: The supporters of the former president? Well, you know – again, the government is just doing its job.
Wala namang – it’s not because it’s one person or another that we do the things that we do.
Maybe sa – noong mga nakaraan na mga administrasyon, baka ganoon ang ginagawa. Pero para sa akin, hindi naman ganoon.
Sumusunod tayo sa batas. We are a member of the community of nations. We must live up to our responsibilities to the commitments that we have made to the community of nations.
And that is what’s happened here. Politics doesn’t enter into it. Bakit — why — he’s never going to be a candidate for anything. Why go after him? Hindi ba? At saka 2017 pa ito, wala pa ako, civilian pa ako noon.
So, this is the evolution of his case. And this is where we end up. Yeah. All right?
SEC. RUIZ: Thank you very much, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you. Thank you. Good evening.
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