DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has accused the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of a political maneuver in the arrest of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a Facebook post, Baste Duterte alleged that the Marcos administration is using the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant to deflect attention from the 2025 national budget. “This isn’t the Philippine National Police serving a warrant because they can’t explain their actions. This is a political maneuver by the Bongbong Marcos administration. Be prepared for anything,” he stated.
Baste Duterte also accused Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III of “illegal detention and denial of medical care” for Rodrigo Duterte. “It seems they want to kill the old man,” he added.
Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Tuesday morning upon his arrival in Manila from Hong Kong. The Presidential Communications Office confirmed that he was served with an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity at Villamor Air Base, where he questioned his detention.
CIDG chief Torre read Duterte his Miranda rights, informing him of his right to remain silent and to have legal counsel.
The ICC is investigating Duterte’s administration for alleged systematic killings under the drug war. Police records indicate 6,200 drug suspects were killed from June 2016 to November 2021, but human rights groups estimate the actual number of victims to be around 30,000.
