Duterte's arrest not a diversionary tactic—Palace

Manila Bulletin

The arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte was not meant to divert the public's attention from issues surrounding the 2025 national budget, Malacañang said.   Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed the allegations made by Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte on the Marcos administration's supposed motive in allowing the arrest of his father. (Video courtesy of RTVM)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/19/duterte-arrest-not-a-diversionary-tactic-palace  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5664f6TkaeHgwBly50DWZQ/join  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00Good afternoon, Usec.

00:07In a Facebook Live last night, Davao City Mayor Bastedo Terte mentioned, or he described,

00:14that their situation is difficult now, that they are being singled out by the President,

00:21and that they are being targeted by the Marcos administration.

00:27Did he say something like that?

00:30He mentioned that it is difficult for them to be targeted,

00:37and that it is difficult for them to be singled out by the President.

00:42That's what he said.

00:44Okay. Does being singled out mean that he wants more people to be targeted?

00:49Let's remember that in the War on Topharis, the former President Duterte was described as an indirect co-perpetrator.

00:59So, did he mean that his father should not be the only one to be arrested?

01:04Because there are people who did not even go to the police station.

01:08Well, anyway, what this means is that he wants to reach the people,

01:14but the Dutertes are pitiful again because they are being singled out.

01:20The Warrant of Arrest is only for the former President Duterte.

01:25There are no other co-perpetrators there yet.

01:30So, we cannot avoid the fact that the former President Duterte is the only one to be surrendered to the ICC.

01:38Let's remember that this case, we will repeat, was not filed during the time of the former President Marcos of PBBM.

01:49This is still the time of his father, the former President Duterte.

01:55He just left the ICC to avoid filing a case.

02:00Let's remember why he filed a case in the ICC.

02:02Because in the ICC, immunity from suit is not recognized.

02:07That is why he is the only one in the ICC.

02:11So, there is no single out here.

02:13What happened here, the cases here about the crimes against humanity,

02:19will also be done by his father who is being targeted by them.

02:25And another, Usec.

02:27He also mentioned that it is just a diversionary tactic of the Marcos administration to have his father arrested

02:34so that the public will forget about the issues in PhilHealth and GAA 2025.

02:41PhilHealth is easy for us to explain.

02:45Before this happened, we talked about it.

02:48As I promised you, before this arrest and surrender happened to the former President Duterte,

02:53we will talk to PhilHealth.

02:55We already have one.

02:56We are not just releasing it because the issue now is about the ICC.

03:02And maybe people will not understand if we are talking about a different issue.

03:08But it is easy to explain what happened to PhilHealth.

03:12And about GAA, we will let it be because we are following the principle, the Enrolled Bill Principle.

03:19This is not a diversionary tactic.

03:22Okay?

03:24What we will not talk about now is about the confidential funds.

03:30It is good that these fake receipts came out again.

03:38Because it seems that people will forget where the confidential funds are

03:43that were entrusted to Vice President Pipisara.

03:50So this is not a diversionary tactic.

03:52These are not diversionary issues that we will talk about.

03:55Why?

03:56It is just happening.

03:57This is what is happening.

03:59Day by day, news is happening.

04:01So this is not a diversionary tactic.

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