Palace Stands by Duterte Arrest
Malacañang confirmed on Friday that the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte was lawful. They dismissed criticisms aimed at the government, calling such claims baseless. This response came amid reports that former National Youth Commission chairperson Ronald Cardema and his wife, Marie Cardema, intend to file an impeachment complaint against President Marcos related to Duterte’s arrest and detention.
During a Palace briefing, Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro emphasized that while the Cardemas have the right to file an impeachment complaint, the government merely fulfilled its obligation to Interpol. The arrest was based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
“Karapatan po nila kung nais nila magsampa,” Castro stated, affirming their right to file charges. However, she added, “Ang complaint ay walang pinaghuhugutan,” underscoring that the complaint lacks any legal foundation.
Impeachment Complaint and Partylist Issues
The Cardemas claimed that the Office of the House Secretary General Reginald Velasco did not receive their verified impeachment complaint. Notably, the complaint had been endorsed by Duterte Youth partylist Representative Ducielle Cardema, who is also Ronald Cardema’s sister.
Meanwhile, youth leaders have taken another step by filing a petition with the Commission on Elections (Comelec). They seek to cancel the registration of the Duterte Youth partylist. This move was reported by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NULP), highlighting growing legal challenges against the group.
With these developments, the controversy surrounding the arrest of former President Duterte and the Duterte Youth partylist continues to intensify. Malacañang remains firm that the government acted within the law, even as opposition forces push back through legal channels.
