THE Office of the President has sent a letter to the Senate of the Philippines declining the invitation for government officials to appear before a panel investigating the arrest of former Presidet Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Headed by Sen. Imee Marcos, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is scheduled to conduct a second hearing on the arrest and later transfer of Duterte The Hague.

But a letter dated 31 March 2025 and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stated that invited government officials have already “sincerely answered all the questions to the best of their knowledge” during the committee’s first hearing on March 20.

Bersamin also invoked executive privilege “against the disclosure of information” related to presidential communications solicited and received from the President’s advisers, particularly discussions held in closed-door Cabinet meetings relevant to the Senate inquiry, a report by Daily Tribune said.

Bersamin’s letter was a complete turnaround as the Malacañang Palace previously assured that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will not prevent executive officials from participating in the Senate investigation.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro stated during a press briefing that the president’s position allows Cabinet members to attend the Senate hearings without interference, provided they do not violate their executive privilege.

Senator Marcos, who has withdrawn from her brother’s multi-party alliance, “Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas,” has decried the alleged lack of due process in Duterte’s handover to the ICC.

The lawmaker cited “glaring violations” of Duterte’s rights and questioned the Philippines’ legal obligation to turn him over to the ICC.(Rey Martin Rio, USJ-R Comm Intern)

• Tags
• #Office of the President
• #Senate of the Philippines
• #Rodrigo Duterte
• #International Criminal Court
• #Imee Marcos
• #The Hague
• #Lucas Bersamin
• #Claire Castro